Caged Birds
by XxToToXx
Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a banished rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. Will love be able to bloom between these two or will they let their differences destroy them
1. Chapter 1

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author**: XxToToXx

Full Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.

**One**

"We found her floating in the western waters on ship debris. She's completely unconscious and she's been this way for a week. She's obviously Persian decent either from the southern or the northern poles, a water bender too. She has the etching on her right hip." The solider speaks clearly in the hallway.

The Fire Lord only nods. "A Persian? We haven't see one of them in years, minus the attacks they did on the palace during Azulon's reign."

"Did we ever have any water bender captives?" The Prince asks. Besides him his sister examines her nails dully with pursed lips. Upon hearing his question she rolls her eyes and sighs.

"Of course we have, didn't you pay attention in school or any meetings? Every one of them that we caught we killed." Azula says curtly. "Of course, I suppose I'll do the honors of this one."

"Come, Azula." Ozai says with praise in his voice for his daughter. "Your lightening training is about to begin." Azula smirks at her brother as she brushes past him. "Zuko, take charge of the water benders interrogations." His father and Azula then turns the corner to the training grounds.

Zuko grudgingly opens the door to the infirmary and walks in. The room is lined with beds and smells strongly of herbs and alcohol. The Persian is laid on the middle bed. He leans forward and upon closer examination Zuko sees that she is indeed a Persian and she's no older than he is. Her skin is dark and her hair is even darker. It's long, dark and wavy where the women of the Fire Nations hair is straight and sleek. The black and blue outfit she's wearing is ripped and torn in random places, signifying that she must've been in battle before she blacked out. Her entire middle portion is exposed showing the flatness of her stomach and curvature of her hips.

Zuko is surprised when her vivid blue eyes snap open. He sees shock in them before they're replaced by fiery anger. He leans back but not quick enough. Her fingerless gloved hand reaches and grabs his collar while her other hand coils into a tight fist that strikes him across the nose. He stumbles back and is blinded by pain for a few moments before he collects himself. Blood drips down onto his tunic, though as of now that doesn't matter. He ignites his fists,

The Persian charges at him relentlessly. The aloe plants around her explodes as she moves by them quickly, she slashes and cuts at him with her blades made of ice. In their miniature battle the beds are set afire and the walls are scorched. Zuko dodges and ducks out her way barely, She's fast, very fast. He punches fire balls at her, and though one singes her side she doesn't stop. When she's finally in close enough range to him he grabs her arm and spins her around. He slams her against the wall and presses his weight into her.

She struggles and attempts to fight back against him, and for to say she's little Zuko almost has a time containing her.

"Let go of me!" She snarls at him. "You fucking-" Zuko slams the side of her head into the wall once and holds it there.

"Is that any way to speak to your superior? Especially to the superior of the men who saved your life!" Zuko pulls her arms behind her back forcefully and yanks her away.

"You are no superior of mine. You're nothing but Fire Nation shit!" She thrashes in his hold an jerks her body around, but Zuko holds on. The thickness of her accent is thrown at him with full force during her rant. "Get your filthy-"

"- Having your way with her already Zuko?" A voice asks from the doorway. Lu Ten leans there with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face. He eyes the Persian before flickering his eyes back to Zuko. "When the news spread about having a Persian captive in the palace I thought it was mere gossip. Now, I see otherwise. What happened to your face?"

Lu Ten is the son of Iroh, Zuko's uncle and Ozai's little brother. By right it's Iroh who should be Fire Lord but Ozai managed to persuade Azulon to make him the receiving heir to to the thrown while Iroh was away. See, while conquering Ba Sing Se Iroh received word that his son was killed in battle, but Lu Ten later appeared in the Fire Nation barely clinging onto life. Ozai took advantage of Iroh's misery and mourning. It was quite the scandal.

"Aren't you supposed to be with uncle and Azula?" Zuko asks his cousin in pure aggravation.

"I was but then I came here to investigate." Lu Ten smiles as the water bender scowls at him. Zuko moves and walks her out. "Where are you going with her?"

"The dungeons for interrogation." Zuko replies.

"You won't get a damned thing out of me, ever." She barks, Zuko yanks her forward.

"Quiet the fresh one, isn't she?" Lu Ten muses as he follows along.

The dungeons are located underneath the palace with tunnels that have lava twisting and turning through them. Most prisoners would flinch and cower at the sight of the burning liquid, not this one. The guards nod to the two princes as they pass and cast questioning glances at the woman.

Once in the dungeons where the cells are located Zuko finds an empty one and thrusts her into her cell before locking it tightly. So far as Zuko knows she's the only prisoner at the moment. It's sweltering in the dungeons, Zuko and Lu Ten are used to the heat. A water bender like her can't handle these temperatures. It'll make the interrogation easier on him. Her rants sound out off the walls.

Azula doesn't even use that type of language.

Once they make it back up to the palace in Zuko's bedchambers Lu Ten's picking doesn't stop. "What happened to the infirmary? Wanna tell me happened to your nose now?"

"She caught me off guard." Zuko grunts. Though he doesn't fully admit the main reason she got him so good was because he was interested in her appearance. "Just drop it." He tugs on a fresh tunic before the maids come in and clean his face.

They come in and do their job, they leave without a word. They aren't allowed to have casual chatter with royalty.

"Wonder what Mai is gonna have to say about this one." Lu Ten lays across Zuko's bed with his arms folded behind his head. Zuko, being the crown prince has a fairly large room. He has a living area, his bedding area and his own bathing quarters.

"Mai doesn't have a say in what occurs with the affairs of the nation." Zuko replies. Mai is his girlfriend of four years, she will be the crown princess once she makes the age of eighteen. That will be in exactly three months time, but Zuko isn't as sure about the marriage as she is.

"Right." Lu Ten says in a disbelieving tone. Zuko knows that his cousin isn't too happy about Ozai claiming the throne. Zuko can see right through the other mans facade.

Now he's walking to the interrogation room that's also located in the tunnels. He's ordered the guards to transfer her there from her cell. She's been chi blocked and handcuffed for precautions. The interrogation room has stone walls and a metal door. On the inside there are two chairs and a table. Zuko walks past the guards and they murmur their respectful greetings. He opens the door to see her sitting back in the chair with her hands cuffed in her lap. The cuffs cover her hands full. She's unable to bend, she's helpless. There's beads of sweat on her forehead and neck. Her wild dark hair is splayed around her shoulders and she scowls up at Zuko when he sits across from her. It's late morning and Zuko has to report something to his father that they can use.

"What's your name?" He asks. She only purses her lips and slams her metal cuffed hands on the table.

"Take these off." She leans forward. Her voice is rasped, her throats dry. Good.

"No." At his declination she raises her arms and slams her fists down on the battle, it cracks but it doesn't break. She glares at him from under her her thick lashes. Zuko is convinced that the woman has slight temperamental issues.

"Look, why not make this easier on yourself and just answer the questions." Zuko sighs as he adjusts the bandaging on the nose. He doesn't miss the smug look on her face as he does this. He doesn't know why his father requested him to do this. Interrogation was more Azula's territory. He's never done this before, he guesses that this is another one of his fathers little tests.

"Take these off and I'll talk."

"No."

"Fuck it then." She curses.

"Where are you from?"

"Where does it look like I'm from?"

"What's your name?"

"I'm not telling you." Her eyebrows then raise a fraction of a second. "You don't seem to skilled in knowing the happenings of the world. If you don't know me, I can't help you. As far as I'm concerned I'm a nobody."

"Fine, be that way. Where did you come from when the soldiers found you?" Zuko continues.

"I was on my ship with my men and we got ambushed." She shrugs. "Satisfied? Now go away."

Zuko eyes her with annoyance. Just who does she think she is? "Seeing that you're from one of the Persian water tribes, I suggest you know of the ongoing feud between them and the Fire Nation."

"Who doesn't know?" Katara retorts.

"Then where is the avatar?"

"What avatar?"

"You know what avatar!" Zuko shouts. He exhales a breath and calms himself. "The airbender. We already know that he's somewhere with the tribes, possibly with your men as you said earlier. Where is he?"

"I don't know. I thought it was killed years ago."

"He's still alive. Now, where is he?"

"I don't know."

"Are you not part of the tribes?"

"That isn't my family." She says coldly. "They have nothing to do with me."

Zuko's quiet for a moment. "So you refuse to give up the information that I know you're withholding?"

"I told you that you won't get a damned word out of me."

"Very well." Zuko stands and leaves out of the room. He sends in the torture unit to loosen her up.

When he returns the next day she's sitting in the corner of the room with her knees pulled to her chest. There are burn marks along her neck, chest and arms, not little ones either.

"Do you plan talking today?" He asks as he stands in front the door.

_"Fuck off."_

Zuko sends in the torture unit once again.

The next day is the same, only she doesn't utter a word.

The day after that she spits at him. The torture unit is called in once again.

On the last day when Zuko goes to question her she's waiting for him. She sits in the chair with her legs crossed and lips pursed. Zuko notices that the wounds and bruises she had yesterday are nearly gone.

"How did you heal?" There's no way her body healed that fast on it's own. "Who helped you?"

"Wouldn't you love to know." She snorts.

"You do realize that you're up for execution right? All we want is the avatar and we may be lenient you."

"You're not getting something that I don't even know about."

"What about the sabotage that's been performed on the shipments?"

"I don't know."

Zuko reaches into his pocket and pulls out a blue and white boomerang. It has intricate carvings on side of it and it's far too sharp and clean to be labeled a weapon.

The prince studies her face, It's emotionless. "Commander Zhao was able to retrieve this from a group of tribesman two months ago. They were able to give him the slip, would you happen to know why?"

"Enlighten me."

"They had the assistance of the avatar." Zuko tells her. "Now you sit here and say you have no knowledge of the avatar, I find that hard to believe seeing as though you are indeed a woman of the tribes."

She only stares at him with that intense gaze.

"What about the rumors of the tribes conspiring with the Earth Kingdom?"

She scoffs.

"You don't mind dying?" Zuko narrows his eyes at her. "If you don't tell us where the avatar is I'll be forced to assign you a execution date."

"I've already died and I don't have to answer to the likes of you. Go ahead and try it." Her voice holds no emotion whatsoever.

Zuko stands with intentions to leave. "I see you require another session with the torture unit." What is with her? How can she be like this?

"Unlike the spoiled prince of this pathetic nation I've experienced the real world. I've endured the torturing, the beatings, and I've went weeks without food and water. Aren't you supposed to be the Fire Lords son? Really fooled me."

His fists clench at the woman's words. "You've just made things worse on yourself, water bender."

She only leans back in her chair and watches him storm out.

The next day Zuko changes his approach. When he enters the interrogation room he sees that the torture unit has followed his orders on being rougher on her. The burn mark on her are longer and deeper. Zuko can see the lashes on her back from the fire whips bleed and bubble. He almost feels a bit of pain for her.

Almost.

"I'll take those cuffs off if you tell me what I want to know." Zuko states. The two Dai Lee agents that accompany him stand firmly behind him against the wall.

She raises an eyebrow. "Fine." She lifts her cuffs, "Take them off now." Her voice is dry as raspy, she's depleted of water. Good.

"Not before you tell us about the avatar."

She drops her cuffs and sighs. "I don't know where the avatar is. All I know is that it has yet to learn fire and earth bending."

"That's it?"

"He is indeed in the company of tribesmen, I don't know who exactly. I've only ran into them one time..." He voice trails off. "Though they aren't at either one of the poles, I can guarantee that."

"What makes you so sure?"

"What makes you think an avatar will stay in one place at one time? Stupid prince, what would it need to stay at the north or South Pole for if it already knows water bending?" She turns her nose up him. "You aren't too bright on your studies."

Zuko's eyebrow twitches in annoyance, but he signals for the Dai Lee to unbind her hands. The metal cuffs drop to the floor with a loud clank. She stretches out her fingers and clenches her fists. The left side of her mouth curls up into a slight smirk as she wipes the sweat off of her forehead.

**.0.**

He growls lowly as he pushes another pai sho piece forward. His uncle watches him carefully before he moves his own piece.

"So, how is the interrogation going?"

"She broke after I had the Dai Lee agents take off her cuffs."

Iroh freezes. "She's a water bender isn't she?"

"Yes why?" Zuko frowns.

"Oh Zuko" Iroh closes his eyes and shakes his head.

"What's the matter?"

"Why would you take off her cuffs? She could get away!"

"She has no water." Zuko reminds him. "She's a water bender. There's no way she can bend without any water.

"The dungeons are hot Zuko." Iroh states.

On the training grounds Lu Ten snickers.

"So what are you saying?"

"Nephew, what is sweat made of?"

_What is sweat made of?_ Zuko frowns for a moment before realization hits him. He dashes down to the dungeons.

.

**.0.**

**Read and Review**


	2. Chapter 2

**Story Title: **Caged Birds

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary:** An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.

**Two**

Lu Ten sits in his office while looking over the files and records associated with the mystery rebellion force. They've been sabotaging their supply systems, destroying their camps, killing off their soldiers and damaging their ships beyond repair. Every single time an incident happens they can never catch the culprits. The most that Lu Ten knows is that they hate the Fire Nation with a passion. Then again who doesn't? He doesn't know who their leader is, what the purpose is for their rebellion or what they're ever called. This has been going on for five years now.

A knock comes to his door and he allows the person to enter. It's the royal messenger, and in his hand is a long piece of parchment. He bows accordingly.

"Your majesty." He raises back up.

"What have you found out of the prisoner?" Lu Ten asks without looking up from his work. "Please tell me that we at least have a name."

The messenger holds up the paper with both hands. It's an ink drawing of the prisoner, a rather good one at that. It looks just like her except the woman on the drawing has an arm full of swirling tattoo patterns and a necklace around her neck. Other than that they're identical. Speaking of the prisoner, she's supposed to be executed in the morning. Yes, she's told them information about the avatar but she's still a thoroughbred water bender.

Though he is a man of the Fire Nation he's still a man. Lu Ten has never before seen a woman like that. She's beautiful for someone from a tribe.

"We have asked around all the nations and colonies and have shown the people the sketching of said prisoner. We have identified her, your highness." The messenger says in a proud tone. "Her name is Katara and she is from the Southern Persian Water Tribe. Also-"

"-Katara?" Lu Ten says lowly. His eyebrows come in together. "I've heard that name somewhere before..."

"She is the leader of the United Rebellion. Apparently this woman, the woman whose currently in our custody is the leader of the said rebellion that's been causing the trouble in our economies."

"What?" Lu Ten raises his head. He stands and snatches the parchment from the messengers hands. He looks it over, this is indeed the Persian. "On this drawing the so called leader has what appears to be a betrothal necklace and tattoos. The person we have in our dungeons doesn't have all that."

"Have you checked her?"

"We didn't feel the need to check her of any markings or jewelry!" He throws the parchment down on his desk. "Besides, what woman could lead a rebellion of that size?"

"The sources tell us that the leader is very much a woman."

Lu Ten attempts to process this information. He's always figured the leader of the rebellion was a man that was most likely crossed by the Fire Nation. He remembers a while back when a fleet of ships were attacked in the western waters. Out of the three hundred and fifty men only one of them survived. Lu Ten remembers how petrified the man was when he made it back to the Fire Nation. He was a tad traumatized but he still managed to speak the story. Lu Ten doubts that the man would forget something like that.

"Summon Zing Hao to the palace for questioning."

"As you wish, sire." The messenger then leaves on out of the room.

Lu Ten leans back in his chair. Hopefully, he would see that the rumors about the so called leader are true or not.

**.0.**

"Lady Mai." Lu Ten dryly greets Zuko's fiancé when they pass him in the hall. Lu Ten has never been too thrilled about him marrying that bean pole. Personally he thinks his cousin can do a lot better.

"Lu Ten." Mai says coldly with a nod.

"I know something you don't know." Lu Ten says to Zuko. He stops and turns on his heel.

"What's that?"

"Come with me." Lu Ten motions for Zuko to follow him to the grand hall. Mai sighs and loosens her arm from around Zuko's. She walks away without a word. Obviously she's used to Zuko breaking his dates and promises.

"What's this about?" Zuko asks when he falls into stride with his cousin. "Couldn't this have waited?"

"No. I've found out about who the prisoner really is."

"We already know who she is. She's from one of the tribes and she's a water bender. Apparently she was going overseas when her people were ambushed."

"Wrong." Lu Ten says. "She's more than that." Lu Ten opens the grand halls doors and they walk in. Nothing's in the room except for a long table with chairs on both sides. It's usually used for meetings held by the Fire Lord or for mission briefings. "This is Zing Hao." Lu Ten says. Zing Hao sits in one of the chairs at the long table. He stands and bows when he sees the two royals.

Zing Hao appears only to be a couple of years older than Zuko and Lu Ten. He has long black hair that almost covers his golden eyes. He's dressed in civilian clothing, Zuko remembers a time when he was once always clothed in his soldiers uniform. After being the only survivor from his fleet they released him from his duties saying that he was too traumatized to be on the front line.

"Aren't you retired?" Zuko asks. "What business do you have here?"

"I was summoned here by Lu Ten." Zing Hao says. "I'm here for questioning."

Lu Ten hands over the parchment with the drawing on it to Zuko. He raises an eyebrow at it. "You've been doodling pictures of her?"

"No! This is the drawing done by one of the royal artists. It was passed around until finally someone recognized her." Lu Ten says lowly. "I know what you're thinking, she doesn't have that necklace or that tattoo. That's why we're here now. We're going to see if she's the leader of the rebellion."

Zuko looks back down at the drawing, this does look exactly like her. He then looks back up at Lu Ten. "So what does he have to do with this?"

"He's a survivor of the last big attack from the rebellion. He's seen her."

Zuko hands the paper back to Lu Ten, whose leaning on the wall next to the door. "Zing Hao. Explain to me the happenings of your fleet, what caused their demise?"

Zing Hao jumps in his seat at the question. He coughs and clears his throat before he speaks. "W-We were crossing the western sea to go to the northern colonies. Everything was fine that day, the wind was on our side and the skies were as clear as diamond-crystals. I was in the bottom of the ship restocking the cannons that night, the rest of the men were on the deck playing cards and such. Then it happened." He says thickly.

"Then what happened?" Zuko narrows his eyes.

"Then the attack came and hit us by surprise. A ship rose from underneath the water! Then these great big walls of waters surrounded us and trapped us in this watery box with the ship! All of our boats were trapped! We couldn't move! Then this woman came over from the other ship-"

"Are you sure it was a woman?"

"I'm positive your majesty, a beautiful woman. She came over and she...she killed all the men single handily! It was a massacre, I've never seen water bending like that in my life! None of the men could stop her, it was like she was some type of hybrid human. That type of water bending would make even the princess frightened! Then she did something to the captain...S-She reached inside of him." Zin Hao puts his hands out with his palms up. He wriggles his fingers and twists his wrists. He looks up at Zuko with frightened wide eyes. "She reached inside of him and she crushed his heart!"

"Was there a full moon?" Zuko asks.

"No sir! The moon was nowhere in sight but I saw her clearly as day!" The man trembles in his seat. "I can't get that out of mind, no matter how hard I try. It frightens me even more to know that she's still somewhere out there! There were men on the other ship, They didn't help her at all. They fought with the other ships and won. All of them were water benders. Then she found me, she did the same thing to me what she did to the captain. It was horrifying, my entire body was constricted. I couldn't move, breathe, or speak."

"And what happened after that?" Lu Ten interrupts.

"A bomb broke her hold on me and knocked me into the water. I managed to hide in the wreckage until they left." Zing Hao pats his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. "I heard them call a name, it was Katara."

Zuko looks back at Lu Ten. Lu Ten steps out into the hallway.

"Do you recall how this woman looks?" Zuko asks when he turns back to Zing Hao. "Any distinctive markings?"

Zing Hao nods. "I figured she was from one of the Persian tribes, her skin and hair was dark and she had a necklace around her neck."

"What about a tattoo?"

"Come to think of it, milord she did have one! It's one her right arm. I don't remember seeing it up close, but I know it was there. It covers her entire right arm." Zing Hao nods.

"Oh, I see you survived." A feminine voice says from the doorway. Zing Hao stumbles out of his chair and scurries away behind Zuko. The Persian stands there, Lu Ten has her arms clasped tightly behind her back. She keeps her eyes on Zing Hao with a less than amused expression on her face. Zuko hasn't seen her in four days, not since he had her removed to a dryer cell that she wouldn't sweat in. Manacles are around her wrists and ankles so she won't try anything else.

"That's her!" He points an accusing finger at the woman. "That's the Persian who killed my men!"

"Calm yourself Zing Hao." Zuko orders. "Look clearly, is this the one who attacked you?"

"Y-Yes! It's her!" He stammers. "That's Katara! She's the leader!"

Lu Ten rips Katara's sleeve revealing the black markings on her right arm. He moves in front of her and tears at the tight material around her neck. The necklace is there just as it was told by Zing Hao. It has a blue band with a small golden hook that connects to a shiny bright blue stone with engraving on it.

"See? I told you!" Zing Hao shrieks. Katara looks down at the cowering man with disgust before turning her cold eyes up at Zuko.

"Oh, congratulations." She rolls her eyes.

"You may leave now, Zing Hao." Zuko says. The man scurries to his feet and avoids Katara as much as he can. She watches him leave out another door, he's too afraid to go near her.

"You could've saved us time and just told us who you were from the jump." Zuko states. "Seeing as though you are in fact the leader of the rebellion forces you will be shipped to the Boiling Rock and await your execution."

"There's no way I'll die by hands of a coward as you or your father or any other Fire Nation bastard." She spits at him, luckily for him she misses. "You'll pay for this, prince! Just wait, you haven't seen anything yet! I'll destroy more than your precious colonies next time!" She promises before the guards haul her away.

"You've killed yourself, Persian." Zuko grunts.

"It really was her." Lu Ten says to himself. "So I wonder..." Lu Ten looks at Zuko, "Your father requests your presence in the throne room."

"Where are you going?"

"To the library. I have some things to look up." Lu Ten waves at him as he walks away. Zuko remembers a time when he and Lu Ten were as thick as thieves. All that changed after Lu Ten fought in his first real battle in the war. Ever since he came back he hasn't been the same.

On his way to the throne room Zuko wonders over what Zing Hao said. What kind of witchcraft was she using to reach inside someone else's body? How could a person have that type of power? He's heard that water benders are stronger during the full moon, but Zing Hao says that there was no full moon that night. That doesn't matter, tomorrow she'll be off to the Boiling Rock for execution.

When he gets in the throne room he sees that no one else is here. He walks forward and kneels on one knee with his head down in front of the steps. Ahead there are a series of steps followed by a tall line of fire. Behind that wall of fire sits his father. The relationship between Zuko and Ozai is estranged, mostly because of Azula's drive to be perfect in everything to impress Ozai. Zuko may be next in line for the throne but he's still living in Azula's shadow.

"Have you gained progress?" His fathers voice booms around the vast room, it echoes of the walls and almost makes Zuko go partially death.

Zuko raises his head. "The water bender has been identified as the leader of the United Rebellion. She is behind all of the attacks on the Fire Nation and destruction of our plants and colonies. We had a witness bought in and she matched his description perfectly. She admits to her crimes, she'll be shipped out to the Boiling Rock in the morning to await her execution there. She has undergone all of our torture techniques and still refuses to give us any other information, though she did state that the avatar has yet to master all four elements. That confession turned out to be false, our posted soldiers have witnessed the avatar manipulating all four elements. The confession about him being in water tribe company is true."

"Good, you have pleased me." Zuko blinks at his fathers statement.

"I suppose you will be journeying to the Boiling Rock with the prisoner to stand in my place and get order in the prison?"

Usually it would be Azula that would go in fathers place to the Boiling Rock. Sometimes the prison would get too out of order and the Fire Lord would have to get the prisoners and guards back in shape. For the last three years it's been Azula because she's more feared and respected than Zuko is. Azula is the female version of Ozai if not worse. She's a natural born prodigy while Zuko had to work hard to get where he is now.

"I would be honored."

"And Zuko?"

"Yes father?"

"Don't mess this up." There's an underlying threat to his fathers words. Zuko stands and bows again before leaving the room.

The next morning Zuko, Iroh, and the Persian set sail for the Boiling Rock. It's been a year and a half since Zuko traveled by sea. Even then he detested the sickening waves and the disgusting smell of the fresh salt water. He tries to contain his motion sickness and instead watches his uncle and the rest of his crew set up the equipment for music night. To Zuko music night is an annoyance and a waste of time. The men can't sing and the get too drunk. Though his charismatic uncle always gets him to participate. Iroh didn't have to accompany him on this trip but he came anyway. He says that he needs some fresh ocean air, it would be like going on a miniature vacation. Lu Ten chose to stay behind, he's been locked in the royal since yesterday. Zuko has no clue what he's been doing in there all that time.

Mai was not too happy about him once again breaking another date. You would think by now that she would understand he is the prince of the Fire Nation and things pop up at the most unwanted times. She tried to join him as well but Zuko thought it would be better is she stayed in the nation. Mai is very competitive and jealous, hoe would she expect to be a good Fire Lady one day with those traits?

The prisoner has been stored away below deck in a room directly across from Zuko's bedroom, much to his objection. He was going to have her placed in holding cells until his uncle thought it would better to give her a secure bedroom. His uncle is trying to treat the water bender like she's royalty, she's just a peasant! He thinks that the men on the ship would try to take advantage of her. Speaking of peasant, he hasn't seen since they departed. He only caught a glimpse of her when she was being force fed herbs to block her bending. He makes a beeline to the bunking area and goes down the hall to her room. He uses the keys to get in.

He finds her sitting cross legged in the center of the bed. She's still in the clothing she wore when he first saw her. It's torn and tattered in different areas and shows a considerable amount of skin. There's a full tray of food that has been untouched, she must think that it's poisoned.

She glares at him. "To what do I owe this pleasure? Come to torture or beat me again?"

"It isn't honorable to beat women. That's a big crime in my nation." He says curtly.

"Oh, right. Maybe you should try drilling that into your sorry excuses for soldiers." Zuko's eyes trail down to her cheek where a dark bruise is forming. He remembers stating Clearly not to touch her. She rolls her shoulders back and cracks her knuckles. "It was meaningless to block my bending, stupid."

Zuko's eyebrow twitches in annoyance. "It's for precautionary purposes!" He half shouts. "Why must everything be difficult with you?"

"It must always be difficult when it concerns people like you. I don't need bending to beat you."

"Just - ugh!" He throws his hands up. "The sooner you get to the prison the better. I'm sure the executioner is itching for you."

"A lot of people are itching for me fire bender. Aren't I the hot commodity?"

"I bet. Why were you attacking our sites and killing our men?"

"Because I hate the Fire Nation, since you're a part of that pathetic bloodline I hate you as well. You and your people have caused nothing but pain and bloodshed." She says lowly. "Just wait until I get my bending back, I'll-"

"- You'll do what? Use your little witchcraft? We don't have to worry about that, your bending won't even be restored until after you make it to the prison. You're helpless."

"What?"

"I said you're helpless."

"I wasn't helpless when you were punched out now was I? Or was I helpless when your precious little colonies were obliterated? Oh, right. I wasn't helpless then."

"All criminals have some sort of weakness."

She only blinks before leaning back against the headboard. She doesn't utter a word, she only stares him down. Sighing Zuko moves further into the room and goes to a drawer. He pulls out a shirt and a pair of harem pants. When he turns to her again he sees she's still watching him like a predator would watch it's next meal. He walks back over and tosses her the clothing.

"You can wash off in the bathtub…" Zuko tells her. She only purses her lips and stares at him critically. "If you want to that is, even though I recommend you do."

Her eyes narrow into slits. "What's this? Giving your prisoner a couple of last wishes?" She scoffs. She picks at the clothes end then pushes them away in disgust. "Go away, stupid."

"You can at least show some appreciation!" Zuko has had it with her already. Her smart remarks and constant name calling along with her blatant insults have hit his last nerve. "This is my ship! Now if you would rather bunk down in the holding cell I can make that happen. Men don't fair too good

at sea especially when they know there's a woman aboard."

"Oh yeah, go ahead. There's nothing you can throw at me that I haven't already survived." She fiddles with the necklace around her neck. "Now if you don't mind little prince, I would prefer to have my privacy. Go play with your daggers or something."

Zuko steams as he stomps over to her. She doesn't flinch or blink. "You know what? This probably could've gone a lot better if you wouldn't have lied about the elements mastered and the possible whereabouts of the avatar."

"You'll never get the avatar, you were a fool for believing me. I'll never help any of you. Stupid prince." She snorts.

Before Zuko can stop himself he's across the room with one hand clasped around her neck and the other pins her arms above her head.

"Get off of me!" She struggles against him.

"I think you have the roles confused here. You are the prisoner and I am the prince and you will address me as such. Do I make myself clear?"

"You may be the prince but you're no prince of mine." She seethes at him. "I have no ruler."

Zuko throws her back down on the bed. "That'll all change in a weeks time." He says before he leaves out the door and locks it again.

**.0.**

**Read and Review**


	3. Chapter 3

**Story Title:**:Caged Birds

**Author**:XxToToXx

**Full Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Three**

She paces back and forth on the plush red carpet as she tries to devise an escape plan. A few moments ago they came in and blocked her chi, but she can feel the affect wearing off. She has to get out of here and go back to the island. She has to regroup with her men before they go on with the last resort plan, and that would be to return back to the pole. If they retreat back to the poles she'll be without a crew, without a rebellion force. Katara cannot go after them, she vowed to never step foot on that godforsaken place. She clicks her tongue in aggravation. They probably think she's dead. Though she bought it on herself, sacrificing herself for the sake of her followers and all.

She stops her pacing and picks up a vase from the floor. She heaves it at the door, it crashes loudly upon impact. Hopefully it scared the two guards that's posted outside of her door. She then picks up a chair and throws it at the wall, it breaks as well. She pants, she probably shouldn't have done that. She's so dehydrated and weak now, on top of that her wounds are still hurting, her body is doing all it can. The main thing she's worried about is infection. She wrapped them with some binding wraps she found in the dresser drawers after she bathed. Her wounds can't heal properly without her bending. It's a terrible feeling, being so close to your element and not being able to bend it.

"Stupid prince." She curses to herself when she sits down in the bed. "Stupid Fire Nation."

It took them all these years to catch her and the only reason that they caught her was because of one accident. Wiping out colonies, Destroying ships, killing men and sabotaging imports and exports was something that hurt the Fire Nation greatly, just as they were about to execute a massive attack on the royal palace itself they get ambushed. She sighs heavily and rubs her face. There's no way she would be able to break free from the boiling rock, it's never been done. The only thing she can see is if she manages to get away from her captors before they reach the place.

She should've ran with her men but Katara doesn't didn't want to, they wanted to stay and fight with her but she ordered them to leave. Maybe if she would've just left and refused a fight she would be leading the attack on the palace by now. She gets up when something shiny catches her eye on the desk in the corner of the room. She goes over to examine it. Picking it up she sees that it's a calligraphy pen. It has a sharp metal end, it's kind of small but it would still make an injury on someone. She tucks it into her sleeve.

The door handle jiggles and in walks the two guards.

"General Iroh requests your presence." One of them says. "Lets go, Persian." He attempts to snatch her up by her arm but she snatches away and backs herself into a wall.

"I'm not going anywhere." She says defiantly, slipping the pen into her right hand. They can't see what she's doing because the sleeves of the tunic are long and wide. The other guard attempts to lock his big hands on her upper arms but she slips the pen into her hands and with a mighty thrust she digs it into his rib cage. He falls back grasping the wound and grunting in pain. She manages to duck out of the other guards way and dash out of the room. She closes the door behind her after she locks it back. The two won't be able to get out, not even with their bending. They aren't earth benders, but even if they were Katara figures that they wouldn't even know how to bend metal.

She walks lightly to the corner and peeks her head out. There's doors on both sides of the hallway and at the end of the hallway there's a small series of steps that lead out to the deck. The sunlight shines brightly through the opening. She leans back. What now? The guards that she locked in the room ran at the door to get out. Maybe, maybe if she can find a weapon of some sort she would able to at least get to the ocean. If the spirits are with her she will have her bending back just enough to keep herself afloat until she makes it to an island or something. Even if she doesn't find a weapon, she can still fight.

She scales along the wall to the first door. It's unlocked, so she slips in quickly and closes the door soundlessly behind her. She looks around, this must be the captains room. Torches are lit on the walls, everything is red and gold, and it's reeking of incense. It's bigger than the room she was in, the bed is bigger and there's the Fire Nation flag that hangs over it. She climbs on top of the bed and rips the flag down. She balls it up and tosses it in the corner of the room. It knocks up against the dresser, Katara sees that above the dresser are twin Katanas.

In a rush she goes and yanks them from the wall. They're lighter than the ones she's used to but she can still handle them. Their handles are entirely black and the blades are shined to perfection. She wonders who they're for...

That doesn't matter. She eases back out the room and into the hallway with the swords readied in her hands. She ducks back against the wall when someone passes. She steadies herself, all she needs to do is get back to the ocean.

Just get to the ocean Katara, just get there. She tells herself. She takes the stairs slowly, one at a time.

When he finally gets on deck the sun almost blinds her. She can feel the pull of the ocean, it calls to her to bend it, manipulate it. The prince is at the bow of the ship with a few other guards. nirvana Sam smith. Maybe, with luck she can dive in with no problem...

"Persian!" Someone shouts from her left. She turns her head to see a group of guards running towards her and before she can even take a step they have her in their grasp. The Katanas drop out of her hands and are kicked to the side.

She struggles in the mans grasp with all the power in her. "Get off of me, you filthy-"

"- I see you never learn your lesson." The prince says in annoyance as he and the fat bearded man walks over to her. "See?" He turns to the fat man, "This is why I told you we should've thrown her in the bottom of the ship!"

"But nephew! She's about to be booked into the boiling rock for execution. We can at least make her comfortable before we part ways. I even invited her for brunch on deck, she is a lady after all." The man says. "Have some honor!"

"Honor?" Zuko spins on him. "A lady? She's a criminalized peasant! A Persian who ruined our economy!"

"I'll have you know," Katara struggles in the guards arms, "That I may be Persian but-"

"Your majesty!" The two guards that were locked in the room come bounding onto the deck. The one she stabbed in the ribs clenches his side and glares at her. M

"Wha-? Exactly how did she even get out of the room?" Zuko narrows his eyes and frowns at them.

"I told you I sent them to retrieve her for me!" Iroh pats his belly. "You didn't want to have brunch with me-"

"-she's a prisoner and you can't go around treating prisoners like royalty!" Zuko counters.

"Actually, I'm the prince-" Katara attempts again.

"-She used a calligraphy pen," the guard holds up the blood coated pen for the prince to see, "I think she planned this miniature escape attempt. She managed to get past us and lock us in the room."

"Bound her and throw her in the holding cell." Zuko orders.

"Zuko..." The old man says in a warning tone. "I don't think that may be wise."

"That's not our problem."

Katara feels the guards grip tighten on her, they spin her away and walk her down into the ship. They rope her arms and ankles and shove her into the cell. It's dark, cold, and as far as she can tell empty too. She can't see a damned thing. She manages to scoot with her back against the wall, and exhales a sigh. Now she'll never be able to properly heal herself, let alone escape. She clicks her tongue as her stomach growls, this is going to be a long week.

She's been journeying the world for four and a half years and she's never even seen the boiling rock. Although, she would prefer the boiling rock rather than returning "home" back to the South Pole. She's vowed to never lay foot on that Iceland again. Katara feels a familiar uneasiness in her gut. She tries not to claim the bad happenings that may arise. She lays her head back.

What now?

She doesn't know if she blacked out due to the pain in her back or if she went into a light sleep. She grunts from the stiffness in her neck. She can't tell if it's daytime or nighttime, but she can see lighting from the torches outside the door. It peeps under the door, they weren't lit earlier. The door clicks, and slowly creaks open. She squints her eyes at the brightness. She can't tell who it is, but she knows that the person is a head taller than the prince. Actually, it's two of them. One of them is tall but not as tall as the other.

A torch is lit to her right as the door closes. She can see now, but that won't help the situation. She looks around the room, nothing bug metal walls.

"Well, would you lookey here." The tall one says, "Quite the woman isn't she?"

The short one nods. "Indeed, Hurok. I haven't felt the warmth of a woman in ages. What about you?"

"Just as long my friend, just as long." The one called Hurok closes the door and Katara's heartbeat quickens. She knows what they want, they won't be getting it.

No one will ever again.

"Some honorable soldiers you are, trying to take advantage of a defenseless woman!" She tells them as the short one hoists her up to her feet. "You're nothing but scum!"

The short one pulls out a dagger and presses it to her throat. The other is now standing besides him.

"What are you gonna do? Scream and call for help?" He presses it further and she can feel the blood running down her neck. What can she do? She can't even fight them off! She struggles as he pins her arms above her head and tears her top in half. Then yanks down the bottoms she's wearing. She manages to knee him in the gut but he retaliates quickly and bangs her head against the wall. The blow is powerful, it makes her vision blurry and she's about to slip into darkness. The last thing she sees before her eyes close is the door being smashed open. Three figures stand there, one tall and slim while the other fat and short.

She's awakened by the smell of ginger. Other than that the first thing she notices is the pain in the back of her head. She's so thirsty...

She turns head to the side and sees the old man sitting at her bedside writing something on a scroll. She's about to grasp the vase in her hand to throw at him before she remembers what happened.

"Would you like some water?" The old man asks as he looks up at her with a sweet smile. "The medic said you are very dehydrated. He's changed your wound dressings and has given you something for the pain."

"I'm not taking anything from you." She grunts as she attempts to sit her. Her hands and ankles are still changed so it makes it quite difficult. The man gets up to help her, she only shrugs away. "Haven't you all done enough? It's bad enough that your guards tried to have their way with me."

"Those guards have been been dealt with accordingly by Zuko." He folds his arms into his robes. "He was the one who punished them, he does not tolerate actions such as those."

The prince? She scoffs.

"My name is Iroh, but you can call me uncle Iroh." He grins.

She raises an eyebrow. "No thank you."

"I see, you're still a bit disgruntled. Here you go." He pours her a cup of water and hands it to her. "Drink."

Katara isn't dumb, she knows she needs plenty of water. She takes it and drinks

It down greedily. Then another and then another.

"So, I suppose you won't be taking these manacles off." She holds up her hands.

"I'm sorry dear, but that's my nephews call. Though I will discuss it with him later. He's got quite the temper and I haven't really been on his good side lately." Iroh chuckles.

"Yeah, great." She says dryly. She doesn't have the slightest clue as to why this man is being so nice to her, but what she does know is that she won't fall for any of his tricks.

"Would you like to join me for lunch? I'm sure you're hungry, you were asleep for two days." Iroh goes over to a table and brings back a tray of steaming hot food. There's what appears to some type of soup, a couple of slices of meat that's covered in gravy, two buttered bread rolls, a bowl of rice and another bowl of fruit. She looks back up at him.

"You think I'm crazy?" She frowns. "I know this is poison."

"It isn't poison, plus we have no reason to kill you. In fact we are forbidden to kill you; that's the undertaker and wardens section. Frankly my warring and killing days are over." Iroh states. "That is no longer a part of me."

Katara can tell he's not lying, his heartbeat remains the same. She attempts to crack her knuckles, "I can't eat with these on." She sticks her legs out. "I won't be able to outrun anyone with these anyway."

Iroh melts her chains, he's careful not to let it touch her skin as he does so. He sets it aside and hands her her tray of food. She watches him eat from his food before she tastes the soup. It's very hearty with chunks of meat and vegetables, it's extremely delicious though she won't tell him that.

"You are quite the fighter, my son Lu Ten says you beat my nephew without your bending." Iroh sparks up conversation, "Even broke his nose."

Katara shrugs and drinks the rest of her soup before stuffing the pieces of meat into her mouth. If it were poison her body would've reacted already. The fruits are fresh and juicy and the bread is nice and warm.

"Are you from the south or the north?"

"The south." She says.

"I see, I've always wanted to see the northern lights of the northern water tribes. Have you ever seen them?"

"Once when I was ten."

"That's very nice, have you any brothers or sisters? What about your parents? I'm sure they are terribly worried about you. Would you like to write them?"

She freezes. The anger builds up in her chest again. "I have one older brother, my mother is dead and father is still alive. I actually left the South Pole when I was fourteen. I'm estranged with my father as brother." She scowls.

Iroh gives her a sympathetic look. "I see, I'm sorry to hear that. How long has it been since you've seen them?"

"I saw my brother two months ago. It didn't go well." She looks at him. "Do you always ask your prisoners this many questions?"

"You may be a prisoner but you're still a human being." He replies. "Not every one in the Fire Nation is twisted."

She scoffs again.

There's a knock to the door and three guards come in. "The Persian is requested in the princes office. The commander has arrived."

"I see." Iroh watches as they pull Katara down from the bed and lead her out of the room. Iroh follows behind. Katara jerks her arm out of the guards grasp but he only grabs hold of her again and this time tighter than ever. She doesn't know who this commander person is and she doesn't know what he wants with her. He probably wants his turn on playing interrogator. They open the door to a room, she instantly sees that it's an office. The prince sits behind a desk scowling and looking disgruntled. Another man stands beside him, Katara doesn't know who he is, but she guesses he's of some importance. Boy only that but he resembles a monkey...

The guards exit the room and Iroh stays. He sits in a chair besides the door.

"This is the infamous rebellion leader?" The commander asks as he circles her, too close for Katara's comfort. "I must say, I would think of it a lie if you say you aren't taking her into your chambers-"

"-I'm not!" The prince cut him off in a hurry. "There's still some people who have honor to their names."

"Well," The commander stops in front of her. "I suppose you have interrogated her already?"

"We have, she won't break. Why do you think she's on her way to be executed?"

"Oh, I bet they won't like that. Anyhow, i am commander Zhao." Zhao peers down at Katara with a sly smile. "Aren't you a long way from home?"

Katara doesn't say anything, she won't answer to this man.

He arches an eyebrow. "A silent one huh? Well, I suppose all that's about to change."

"Zhao, you aren't getting the water bender. She was placed in my charge by the Fire Lord." Zuko retorts as he stands. Katara notices that the prince has a strong disliking for the commander. She can see why, the man isn't anything but a lecherous slime, she can tell.

"That's all about to change." Zhao turns back to the prince. "Tell me, did you know that your captive is the princess of the Southern Water Tribe?"

The princes face falls, "What?" Iroh shakes his head. Katara remains silent.

Zhao continues. "She's the princess, daughter of chief Hakoda and younger sister to Sokka and by the way," he turns to Katara, "That's your brothers boomerang that prince Zuko has isn't it?"

Katara remains stoic.

"You're lying!" Zuko says as he comes from behind his desk. "There is no royalty in the Persian tribes except for the northern tribe."

"I'm afraid commander Zhao is telling the truth." Iroh speaks up. "I've always known of royalty in the south, I've always known about a prince and princess but I've never thought of the princess to be the rebellion leader."

Zuko stares at her, she stares back emotionlessly.

"It was your own kinsmen that you were fighting wasn't it? Aw, poor thing." Zhao taunts. "Though I don't think your father is too pleased, seeing as though he banished you and all. Now, what she did i don't know know. I doubt she'll tell us her dirty little secrets. What I do know is that I'm trading her for the avatar."

"What? No you're not!" Zuko objects. "That's my charge!"

"The water tribes are so relentless in battle, so strong willed and brave. All they want is their princess back basically. I'm sure your father will agree to trade her for the avatar, since the avatar is indeed in the southern tribes company." Zhao continues with a grin.

"No." All eyes turn on Katara who stands with her eyebrows furrowed and a deep set frown. "I'm not going with you and I'm not going back there."

"You would rather take your execution?" Iroh asks. "But that's your-"

_"- I don't have a family."_

"I think that the princess should realize she's not In the condition to make any choices for herself." Zhao says curtly with his hands behind his back. "Release her into my custody, I'll travel to the South and make the trade myself."

"No." Zuko says.

"That's an order!"

"You're only a commander! I'm the prince of the Fire Nation, I'm in a higher rank than you." He shouts back. "I'm the only one here who gives orders."

"I think that they value their princess more than the avatar." Zhao frowns. "You're jeopardizing the Fire Nation's chances of further prosperity."

"You're not getting her." Zuko stands his ground firmly. She thinks that this may be the only time that her and the prince will be agreeing on anything. "They banished her, now she's in our custody and she's going to the boiling rock for execution. Those are the Fire Lord's orders."

"Ozai will be more pleased to know that we have something to secure the capture of the avatar."

Zhao stares at Zuko and Zuko stares back at him heatedly.

"Fine." Zhao says finally, "You've won this fight, but you haven't won the war." He turns back to katara. "It was nice meeting you, _princess_."

"I'll be contacting your father about this, prince Zuko." Zhao says as he and his own guards leave out of the office. Zuko's nostrils flare and he turns away in anger.

"Who were fighting when you were caught?" Zuko asks her when he whips back around.

"Does that matter?" She asks back, "Does all that really even matter?"

"Why didn't you say that you were the princess? I'm sure execution would've been out of the question." Iroh states. Katara tosses in a doubtful look before she switches from one foot to the other.

"Well?" Zuko presses.

"I was fighting the northern tribe. You happy? Is the little prince satisfied now?" She glares at him. "I tried to tell you when you called me a peasant."

"Why? They're your own people."

"That's none of your business. Take me back to my room, cell, whatever."

Katara watches as his eyes narrow and twitch.

"Take her away." He dismisses her. "Tell the captain to change direction to the south."

"I'm not going to the South Pole." Katara tells them as they take her away, "I'll drown this entire ship with everyone in it before I let that happen." She swears.

She paces back and forth in her new room, which is also right next to the princes room. What's she gonna do? She knows her bending isn't back to it's full force yet, her wounds still aren't healed fully. She's already worked on them as much as she could with the water she took from the plants in the room. She's devoured the fruits and food they gave her for dinner and even had seconds, compliments of Iroh. If Zhao takes her he'll trade her off to the south, the prince already has plans on trading her. Katara knows that their word isn't true, they're Fire Nation. They'll take Aang and keep the both of them and kill them.

She wonders how Zhao even found out about her banishment. There's no telling, there are probably spies all over the place. She slumps down against the wall, it seems that the spirits are finally against her. The door jiggles and the prince walks in. She rolls her eyes at him before turning her back to him.

"Why were you banished?" He asks. Kataras muscles tense up and she shuts her eyes.

"Why does anything about my past matter?" She turns her head to him. "You've already changed course to go to the South Pole, what makes you think they'll even talk to you?"

"They don't have to talk, they'll take you and give us the avatar."

"You think it's that easy? You think they'll even let you within ten feet of their home?" She scoffs.

"We'll see when the time comes. I still don't see why a princess wants to toss away her title." He continues with his arms crossed. "What were you running from?"

"I don't run from anything!" She half shouts, he prince doesn't budge at her outburst. He stands firm with his golden eyes transfixed on her. "You don't know what it's like, you never will know what it's like being like this..." She says quietly as she turns back around.

"You're wrong. I know exactly what it's like." He replies. Then he turns and leaves without another word.

"You're just a spoiled prince." Katara says into the air. "You don't know anything about me." She rubs the large scar on her stomach that stretches from her belly button to her spine. "You don't know anything about those people."

**Read and Review**


	4. Chapter 4

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary:An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Four**

As she picks at a thin scar on her wrist Katara remembers how her and her brother used to go penguin sledding after their water bending training. They would make ice castles and walk around the village covered in snow, scaring their grandmother. She remembers how she would shine her daggers and go hunting with her father. What once made her feel happiness now makes her angry and disgusted. She throws a vase at the wall in anger and plops back on the bed. She has no water so she can't block out her memories right now, she wouldn't dare use the other technique. She doesn't want to think about them or that place, she has no connection to them.

"Something wrong?" Iroh asks. He sits at the table in the room with a pai sho board in front of him. He's asked Katara to play about ten times, and every ten times she's declined. She doesn't know how to play and she doesn't want to learn. "You are very troubled for someone so young, how old are you?"

"Seventeen." She says dryly.

"Zuko made eighteen a few weeks ago. Soon lady Mai will be eighteen as well and -"

_" - Great."_ She cuts him off. "I don't know who that is and I don't care. Look, I really don't mind your conversation but only certain types of conversation."

He thinks a moment before he speaks again. "You know, there are many shades of war." Iroh states as he moves a piece. "There is more than just black and white, just so many shades."

"I know that, can't you tell him to take me to the boiling rock instead? Isn't that where the Fire Lord wants me to be?"

"The Fire Lord has not yet responded to Zuko's memo. Making my nephew change his mind is like making a rock grow legs and walk."

Katara detects the sadness and slight edge in his tone. "Are you happy about what your brother is doing? Are you happy about what the Fire Nation is doing?"

"If I must speak honestly, I must say that I am not happy." He smiles sadly. "I love my nation but things are not as they are supposed to be."

"You're damn right they aren't." She snorts and crosses her arms.

"So, onto lighter things about your brother and father. What are they like?"

She frowns a tight lipped frown and exhales. "There's nothing to tell about them." She doesn't like talking about the South Pole, she doesn't like talking about her father and her brother. It only brings on the pain.

"I see." Iroh states. "That's why you aren't too good on them.

"Partially."

"Ohhh," Iroh shakes his head. "Whose the lucky boy?" He points at the necklace around her neck. "I'm sure that's a betrothal necklace."

"My mother gave it to me before she died."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, me too."

Zuko calls her to his office a few hours later. When she goes in he's behind his desk scribbling away at a scroll. He's in his prince clothing again and looks as regal as ever.

"I hope that our accommodations are up to your liking." He says without looking up from his work.

"Well, as a matter of fact -"

" - Right, save it. When we make it to the South Pole you'll surrender yourself back to your people and encourage the trade for the avatar."

"Excuse me?" Her eyebrows come in together. His ride can he possibly be? First he plays as though he's concerning about her living quarters and now he's demanding her? "For a prince you certainly have no manners!"

"And what makes you any better? A wanted rebellion leader whose destroying plants and cargo containing fresh food and clothing for the people of the world."

"Firstly, I put myself above no one else. I'm not you." He looks up at her with raised eyebrows. He stops wrong and leans back in his chair. "Yes, I said it." She continues.

"Yet you took out of the mouths of children and destroyed the economy. You call yourself helping? You've only made these things worse than what they are Persian."

"The cargos I destroyed contained deadly herbs and dough and other things. It wasn't even real clothing it was nothing but fabric. I didn't destroy it I took it and gave it to people who need plants were polluting the waters and killing the fish, at least now the poor has food to eat."

It's true, she did those things. She stole from the rich to give to the poor, she killed Fire Nation soldiers, destroyed their camps and plants. She's done so much more too, but it's only in the name of good.

"Your father found out about what you were doing and that's why you were banished? I've heard that it's forbidden for Zane woman in the tribes to fight battles like a man. Your brother, I've been told he's quite the fighter." Zuko explains with an observing stare. He watches her every move without taking his eyes off of hers.

"That's where you're wrong." She says through clenched teeth. "That's only in the northern tribe, the south sees pride in it's female warriors."

"Your father and brother - "

"- They don't give a damn about me! Why do you keep talking about them?!" She shouts before she can stop herself. Her chest heaves up and down. Zuko doesn't move, he looks at her plainly with slight interest before he goes back to writing.

"Your relationships aren't my concern. You should get your apology together, we'll arrive there in a weeks time."

She slumps back in the armchair. "I don't see how your uncle is so kind and full of wisdom and your just a spoiled douche."

"I suppose being spoiled comes along with being a prince. Aren't you a princess? You should know these things."

"A princess by birth, but what's the point in holding up that title if you don't even feel like royalty in no ones eyes?"

Zuko stops writing but he doesn't look up. He starts writing again. "I suppose that's true."

"I suppose so too. Is that why you called me in here? You wanted to make me get some son story ready?"

"Exactly. Though I don't think that you understand you're still a prisoner."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means a lot." He looks at her.

"You think I don't know I'm a prisoner? I can't even go outside and get fresh air! Wanna know why I'm not healed fully yet? It's because you won't even let me see the damned moon, I barely get any water."

"That's what being a prisoner is all about. You won't be doing whatever you want to do. What does the moon have to do with you healing?"

"Why does the sun get fire benders so worked up?"

"We're children of the sun, the sun is our ancient ancestor along with the dragons."

"Yeah, that's all fun and all. I'm telling you prince, you'll be better off bringing me to the boiling rock and catching the avatar on your own terms. Going to the South Pole would the biggest mistake of your life -besides torturing me of course- this is a bad idea." She cracks her knuckles.

"It's too late, they're already expecting us. I've sent out a messenger hawk, they know I have you and they want you back. They're willing to meet and-"

" - what?" Katara jumps up to her feet. "Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind?"

Katara thought that things couldn't get any worse but the prince has proved her wrong. Why would he send a message? They were going to find out sooner or later but still. Now they know she's been captured by Fire Nation, that's all she needs is something else for them to shove in her face.

"You must be afraid to see your family again. Judging from your reaction you must've done something pretty crucial to them to be so scared."

"I'm _**not**_** scared of anything**!" She rushes him and swings her manacles at him, he moves back in the chair just in time before the metal could hit his face. She swings and this time she knocks over the ink bottle. Ink splatters everywhere across the desk, some even gets on her clothes. He moves behind her, she spins on him just in time, but he's quicker. Zuko grabs her wrists and slams her back against the desk. His heavy body crushes her light one and he glares down at he.

"That type of attitude and temper won't get you far in life Persian. This is my ship, you're my prisoner and you'll obey my orders. Would you like to go back down in the holding cells again?"

She jerks to free herself, but she doesn't respond.

"Get off of me!" She seethes. "You think they'll let you on their land? They think they'll let it happen that easily?"

He leans off of her and raises her up to her feet by the collar of her shirt. She shrugs out of his hold, he stares at her in mild amusement.

"I've never met a princess who doesn't want to be a princess, you would take on the role of a roughneck criminal." He muses.

"Yeah, just like I've never met a prince whose job includes transporting prisoners back and forth to jail." She retorts. "Have some sense, a regular commander or something could've done this job but the Fire Lord sends his son in his place?"

Zuko frowns and his eyes narrow, steam actually comes from his nostrils. He motions for the two guards. "Take her back to her room," the guards clamp their hands around her upper arms. "Make sure she doesn't have anything else in there to try anything."

"Well, excuse me if i touched a nerve." Katara says as she's being walked out.

Surprisingly, that night Zuko let's her out on the deck to eat her dinner. It's more soup and rice with thick slices of meat and gravy. This time they gave her a tall glass of juice. The crescent moon shines dump behind the scatter of dark clouds. There are no stars in sight and the wind is cool. It reminds her of when she had her own ship and her and Jet would spend nights out on the deck of the ship.

Jet.

She scoffs into her glass, now isn't the time to be thinking about Jet. When she's done eating she's sent back to her room. The guard tells her goodnight and giver her a kind of sorrowful look but she brushes it off. As soon as she hits the bed she goes to sleep.

At first when she sees those mischievous golden eyes gleaming at her she thinks she's dreaming. She jolts up in the bed to find out that it's reality. Zhao's hairy hand is locked around her neck tightly and he drags her out of the bed. She can feel three other heartbeats in the room but they all stay in one stop. Zhao hoists her up to her feet, her hands and ankles are back in the manacles. She glares at Zhao, she doesn't care if he can see her glaring or not. She catches the sounds of fighting on board, she guesses from the other ship that has rocked the oceans waves. People are dying, she can feel the bile rising in her throat.

A sick smile spreads to his lips. "So we meet again, princess." His eyes roam up and down her body and it makes her skin crawl. "Now, we have some business to attend to." The flame that he has in his hands grows in size as he forces her out of the room and into the hallway, two of the soldiers he came with follow close behind. The other two guard the back and they are all readied in their fire bending stances. Their hearts beat fast, they're scared. Katara takes it to be amusing, how you take over someone else la

A bead of sweat forms on her forehead from that fire that's so close to her face, it's too bright and hot. She's been burned before, before she was bought to the palace. She would hate for that to happen again. It's so dark, but Zhao's flame is doing some justice. She can see its nighttime, the stars shine in the sky from the doorway to the deck.

"Let her go Zhao!" The prince appears at their left. The group stops and Katara can feel zhao's heartbeat quicken when he takes Zuko in. The prince must've went straight on deck when he bolted from his bed, he's only wearing black night pants and a thin shirt. His hair is down and isn't pleased about the disruption, she can tell from how hard his eyes are. Zuko's eyes flicker to hers for only a second but she catches on to the bleariness and cloudiness in them. Realization hits her.

He was _drugged._

_This was planned._

His men; someone on this ship betrayed him, now she's really in trouble.

Katara attempts to wriggle out of zhao's hold but he grips onto the back of her bindings and his other hand containing the flame draws nearer to her face.

"Let's not get too hasty now, princess." She can hear his smirk, she wishes she could knock it right off his face. "Prince Zuko, I thought you would've been out cold through this entire ordeal. I see I'll have to address my men about that."

"You let her go!" Zuko's fists are ignited in flames. "I should've known that there were spies on my ship, they aren't any better than you. The Persian stays here."

"Why? So you can ruin our only chance at capturing the avatar?" Zhao's muscles tense and the flame grows. She closes her eyes and flinches away. Katara thinks that she would rather be at Zuko's side than pressed up against Zhao. "You're dancing along the line of treason, Zuko."

The avatar.

It's always about being bait for the avatar, her fists ball up in anger.

She can sense someone coming behind them, probably more of Zhao's men. No, this heartbeat is strong, powerful! She opens her eyes, Zuko has advanced closer. It almost looks like he's about to drop any moment, he feels bad for him. Betrayed by his own crew, drugged and now he's possibly facing death. She would help him, he hasn't treated her unfairly except for when he ordered the torture unit on her at the palace. What has he done for her? Nothing! What has his people done to her? Everything!

Zuko's eyes widen a fraction, he glances behind Zhao's group and then back to Zhao before dropping his guard. Katara jumps strong blast of fire erupts behind them. The entire hallway is engulfed in flames. Zhao's hand releases her only for a half a second to spin and try to deflect the flames and she takes that chance to break free from his hold. She has to get from down there, she runs. Glancing over her shoulder she sees Zhao and his men duck into the rooms to get out of the way.

Someone grabs her by her shoulders forever fully. it's Zuko. The flames make his face glow and his body is beaded with sweat, he tugs her into a room shuts the door. His breathing is heavy, she can't tell if it's from anticipation or fear. No, it can't be fear. Maybe it's from the adrenaline of a battle, she gets the same way when she's fighting. It's a thrill, she loves a good thrill.

"Zhao has taken over the ship, we're out numbered." Zuko breathes as he pulls on his boots and quickly places his hair in a secure topknot. "We're holding them off as much as we can but I don't know how much longer this can go on."

She raises an eyebrow. What is he trying to say?

"You think I'll help you?" Her mouth starts working before can brain can approve. "You really think I'll help Fire Nation?" She laughs.

Zuko freezes putting on a shirt, he looks at her. It's confusion before a hardened stare.

"Zhao is going to kill you either way it goes. Help me fight Zhao and I'll let you free."

She runs it over in her mind, she just wants these manacles off. She doesn't have to help them. "You'll let me go?"

"I'll let you go, just help us fight and help ua win." He hurriedly pulls his shirt on and steps up to her. He melts off her manacles and tosses scraps to the floor. He looks at her warily when she flexes her digits.

"What makes you think I won't just escape and leave you here to die? How do you even know I have my bending back." She rubs her sore wrists with pursed lips. "I could leave you all here to die, drown this entire ship like i said I would."

"I'm not stupid, you've been healing yourself for days." He retorts. She flexes her fingers as she smirks. Zuko takes her hand and opens the door slowly. He peeps his head out, no one is in the hallway. It's all clear except for the scorch marks on the wall.

"Stay behind me." He says as he leads her out the room and up the stairs above deck. His hand is sweaty and hot, much the opposite to Katara's cold hand.

It's a semi massacre above deck. Fire balls and whips are being flung everywhere, there's shouting and men dying. She can feel the heartbeats stop one by one, but wait, something's strange. When she looks up at the sky she sees it.

A full moon.

She freezes, It's so bright and full. It hangs high in the sky, it's light shines down in Katara and she feels revitalized and full, it strengthens her bending. It's calling to her, makes her want to bend with all her might, it's so beautiful. She doesn't notice when Zuko drops her hand to counter the attacks coming their way, she snaps out of it. She pulls water from the ocean and wraps it around her waist. Out of the corner of her eye she can see Zhao emerging from the bunkers. He spots her and forms a whip in his hand and draws back. Katara pulls a wave from the ocean, she holds it up high before sends it crashing on the fighters. She freezes them in place.

She sees Zuko shooting fire ball after ball at his enemies. Iroh helps him when he reaches him, Katara is almost stunned. The man is old but his strength is extraordinary. Zhao attempts to break his limbs free but the ice is too thick. She used more water and sends it flying at him, she incases his head in an ice box. He's completely paralyzed.

Good.

Some of the commanders men tries to break the ice away while the others shield him from attacks. She doesn't care about Zhao, she lowers her guard. This isn't her fight it's theirs. She maneuvers to the railing of the ship Iroh appears next to get along with zuko, she quickly hoists herself on the railing, straddling the metal. She pulls up a shield of water to block the attacks. Her offense and defense is much stronger now.

"You can't fight, you have to get out of here!" Iroh demands, he shoots fire from his fists, "You're in no condition!"

"I won't run away from them!" Zuko retorts. He looks at Katara with a glare. "What are you doing? You're supposed to be - "he ducks out of the way from a fire ball. " - you're supposed to be helping!"

"I'll never help you!" She retorts. Zuko is about to say something but his eyes widen at something behind her, he backs away. He pulls Iroh with him. Katara looks back as she swings her other leg over the ship. The dark waters below await her, they call to her.

Her eyes widen as well at the sight. A sea serpent arises high into the sky, it's yellow eyes stare down her menacingly. It roars at her and the fighting in the background ceases. She falls backwards onto the deck, ears ringing. Everyone is scrambling about, trying to fight their enemies and the serpent.

She scrambles to get to her feet. In her peripheral view she sees Iroh and Zuko trying to fight off the serpent. She's only fought a serpent one time, she lost. Iroh continues to tell Zuko to get off the ship, take Katara with him and leave. She's confused and aggravated, what makes that old geezer think that she'll help them? Zuko's barely making it. He's barely holding himself up, his moves are so sloppy. A fire whip slashes her side just as the ship is rocked to the left, it knocks her off her feet and sends her barreling into Zuko. The two hit the railing, Zuko takes most of the blow. He quickly blocks a fireball that comes their way. As Katara stands and steadies herself he defends her, protects her. She knows he's just doing it to save his own skin.

Now he's defending her.

"Get off the ship! I can handle the serpent!" Iroh says urgently. He sees Zuko doesn't move so he shoves him back to the railing. "Go on! You'll be fine!"

"I'm not leaving you!" The prince objects, "This is my ship! I'll stay and help you fight!" He looks at Zhao. He's still stuck in the ice. "He'll kill you!"

"No, he won't!" Iroh's face is calm and collected. Katara wonders how he can stay like that during all this madness. Someone manages to shoot fire into the serpents eyes. It goes into a blind rage. It's pointy tail rises from underwater and slashes left and right, knocking men over board and soaking the deck. Iroh dodges the tail but Katara and Zuko can't. The serpent knocks them out of the ship, Katara was caught off her guard. She couldn't bend in time and Zuko isn't at his best either. The last thing she sees before the water swallows them is the sea serpent fall limply into the ocean.

**Read and Review**


	5. Chapter 5

**Story Title:** Caged Birds

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion.**

**Five**

"Why are you following me?" She snaps at him when she stops stomping on the white sand. "Go find your own civilization!"

They washed up on a beach after they plummeted into the ocean. It was Katara who bended them onto a beach, even though she doesn't know exactly where they are. She was traveling for what seemed like hours. She's exhausted, aggravated, hungry and hot. She is not in the mood for the princes pouting. He's been annoying her hours now. The drug has long left his system and now he's back to the cocky, hot headed, arrogant, spoiled prince. She does not want to be stuck traveling with him, all she wants

to do is to get to the rendezvous point.

She figures that they're somewhere in the earth kingdom judging from the sea serpent that almost killed them. The eastern seas are riddled with them. They're beautiful creatures but they're so deadly.

"You're still a prisoner!" Zuko says. "We should stick together anyway and find sons shelter. We need to get to the South Pole or regroup with-"

"- You listen here Zuko. I'm not going to the South Pole and out here your title as Fire Nation prince means nothing!" She turns and stomps off. He follows her.

"Do you have to be so difficult? We're stuck in the middle of nowhere!" Zuko shouts at her. "We're better off as a team."

"Can you hunt?" She asks him over her shoulder. "Can you skin animals and stuff like that? Set traps? Do you know how to fish?"

"Well no..." He rubs the back of his neck. "I'm a prince! What do I need to do all that stuff for?"

"Exactly! As of now you're useless, And I'm not your prisoner. How about when we make it to the first town or city we just go our separate ways? You can go to the South Pole all you want to, without me of course."

"Right, fine!" He agrees. His shirt is tattered and dry and his hair is messy, it falls around his head like a blanket.

"We're somewhere in the earth kingdom, that's all I know. It's morning time so we can cover a good distance of land, hopefully we run into some help." Katara fans a flying bug out of her face and huffs. She pauses before she jogs to the ocean. She catches Zuko looking at her strangely but she doesn't say anything. She forms a water tunnel and lifts herself high into the sky. The wind whips her loose hair around her. She squints to her left, there's nothing there. It's the same when she turns to her right. She lifts herself higher, the water twirls around her lower half.

There in the west she can make out a village, it's a pretty good size. She guesses that it's about fifty or so miles away.

"What did you see?" Zuko asks when she returns to the shore.

"There's a village about fifty miles should get going, we'll have a good chance at making it there before sunset." She purses her lips and begins walking. "Fuck." She bats more bugs out of her face. Zuko looks at her strangely. She cuts her eyes at him and walks on ahead.

"You can see fifty miles away?"

"No, duh. I was up high enough."

"What if there's nothing there to help us? What do we do then? Are we just going to travel by foot for spirits knows how long? You can just water bend us-"

"- Shut up! I'm trying to think!" She shouts. "Why don't you just fire bend yourself somewhere? We have no other choice than to travel by foot for now, I'm not water bending us anywhere, I'm not carrying around your dead weight."

"Dead weight? I can carry my own!"

"Yeah, okay. You can carry your own, that's why those men drugged you on the ship right? You can carry your own, just like when I saved you from drowning because you can't swim-"

"- I can swim just fine!"

"Have you ever swam in an ocean? Do you even know how deep oceans are? The waters of the ocean are different from your little ponds and springs. You wouldn't have lasted two minutes- no, you wouldn't have lasted one minute out there without me." She shrugs.

"Well thank you."

"What?" She asks, she doesn't think that she heard right. "What did you say?"

The prince stops and so does she. He raises a eyebrow at her, "I said thank you, you know? It's when someone does something for you and-"

"I know what it means!" She turns on her heel and stomps off. "I thought I'd never hear that from someone like you."

"What do you mean from someone like me?" Zuko jogs to catch up with her.

"A spoiled, sheltered, egotistical, arrogant, stupid prince."

"I show dignity and respect everywhere I go! I'm supposed to, that's how I was raised."

"Let me guess, you grew up connected with father oh so closely and you're going to tell me that he's really a great man."

"Actually no." Zuko states. "I was bought up under my mother and uncle while my sister got my fathers praise."

"And where's she? Back at the palace gettin fed fruit tarts?" He scoffs.

"She died four years ago."

Katara instantly feels bad, she shouldn't have taken things that far and sprayed him with her smart remarks. Her mother is dead as well, killed in a raid eleven years ago. At that age Katara wasn't able to do anything to help. She was weak. The only thing she has left of her mother is the betrothal necklace. She touches the coolness of the stone. Perhaps, maybe he won't be so bad. They can probably get on mutual terms.

"Sorry to hear that," she tells him. "My mother died when I was little too."

"It's okay, how'd she die?"

"A Fire Nation raid." She angrily ties her hair up in a high ponytail.

"Oh..." He blushes a little. She stomps on ahead up again. So much for mutual terms. "I'm sorry."

The sun begins to set when Katara collapses onto the sand. Zuko sits besides her with his legs arched up. He looks down at her slightly amused.

"So I'm guessing that wasn't a village you saw."

She glares at her from her face in the sand before pushing up on her forearms and sitting with her aching legs under her. "Well, it looked like a village. There's just stupid trees!"

"We should start looking for food and get a fire going before the sun goes down. I don't know what type of animals are on this island." Zuko bats bugs away. Swear beads at his brow and trickles down the side of his face. He gets to his feet starts walking off to the woods.

"Where are you going?" She asks him.

"I told you I'm going to find food and sticks for wood." He pushes the thick leaves and branches out of his way and disappears into the lushness. "You never listen." She hears him mumble.

Katara is surprised that he didn't try and make her tag along. She stands, shrugs out of her pants and runs out to the ocean. If it's left up to Zuko they'll starve to death. She dives into the cool ocean with a bubble around her head to keep the oxygen in. Hopefully she won't run across another sea serpent. She forms a long ice dagger in her hand and swims out to the open sea. Katara finds this much better than standing Upright dressed in layers of clothing in the blistering cold for hours trying to catch a fish. She always was a good fisher and hunter, much to Sokka's dismay. She pushes the thought of him away when she comes across a school of golden catfish.

Their scales shimmer and shine in the rays that cut through the water. They're as large as a watermelon and she knows they'll make a good meal. She uses one hand to bend the water around them back to her her when they catch sight of her and try to escape. They're strong, she's having a hard time keeping a hold-they got away. She curses them as she shoots back up to the surface for more air. When she breaks the water her eyes immediately dart to the beach. Zuko hasn't returned yet, but she does see some wood piled up. She dives back down and does the same strategy. This time she let's then escape and pulls the water in front of them towards her with all the strength she has in her. The golden catfish come flying at her in the torrent. She readies her ice spear and as soon as they come within her proximity she raises it and slashes left and then right, then down as she allows the water to carry her away too. Looking down at her spear she sees she was lucky enough to snag three, two large ones and one small one. Her father would be proud, yeah right.

She swims back to the surface and sees Zuko lighting the fire wood with his palms. He looks up at her and a slight blush creeps on his cheeks before he finds more interest in the burning wood. It's then she remembers she's in nothing but the black bindings she found in the drawer of her room. Sure, her breasts are covered but her entire middle section is open for anyone to see. Her bottom bindings barely make it to her mid thighs. She tosses the fish at him on the sand. He looks impressed but it's quickly wiped away.

"Can you skin a fish?" She pulls on her pants after bending the water from her body.

"No, can't you just cook it like that?"

"What? Why - now, why would we cook it like that? You have to take the scales off and gut it." She extends her hand to him. "Give me your dagger."

"How do you know I even have a dagger?"

"I know everything, it's in your left boot. It's a red dagger with a golden dragon on the side."

Zuko reaches into his left boot and pulls out the dagger. He reluctantly hands it to her and she begins scaling and gutting the fish. Zuko watches her the entire time as she slides them on wooden skewers and roasts the over the fire.

She needs a plan.

She has to get to the rendezvous point and fast. She just hopes that they're still there and haven't lost their faith in her. She's sure that Jet is steering them the right way, but then again who knows? The boy has always been a bit reckless. She stares into the fire deeply then looks away when she sees things that she doesn't want to see. It's dark now but the skies are riddled with a million shining stars. Katara has always loved the stars.

"So," Zuko starts. "I guess we'll probably be stuck together for a while."

She doesn't say anything as she pulls her legs up to her chest.

"Earlier I found some RedVule plants." He continues.

"And what does that mean?"

"They only grow on earth kingdom islands and on the north eastern side of Kyioshi. The civilization is up north though the those woods if I remember correctly."

"So you do have some usefulness to you after all. If I'm lucky enough they'll have a boat I can have, or take." She says. Zuko's lips form a thin line and she looks up at him.

"You said you'd let me free if I helped you fight Zhao." She holds up her fists to emphasize the fact that her manacles are gone. "I'm not your prisoner anymore."

"Still, that doesn't mean I won't let you get away without a fight, you're still going to the South Pole."

"No I'm not." She rolls her eyes in aggravation. "What's with you? Why can't you just let me go free? No ones here and no one would know what really happened."

"Because it would be considered as treason. They'll either execute me or banish me." He shoots a small flame from one hand to the other. "I'm supposed to honor and respect the Fire Lords decision on things."

Katara remains silent.

"Is that why you were banished?" He asks. His golden eyes don't leave her. She looks up him with a frown.

"I didn't commit treason, well to me it wasn't treason. They just - they didn't understand. They'll never understand."Katara stares back into the fire. "It was about one of the elders. He - the south is even more stuck in their ways than the north. It's a long story but I don't think that your ears are worthy enough."

"What do you mean worthy enough?"

"Meaning that I do not trust Fire Nation."

"Well what makes you think I can trust a Persian?"

"Oh, yeah that's right. Persians are the reason for this damned war!"

"Well I'm not the reason! It wasn't me who started it!" He replies back as he stands with balled fists. She stands as well.

"Well you sure as hell had something to do with it. It wasn't my great grandfathers doing that whole damned bloodline is corrupted. None of you -"

"- Alright and so it was Sozin that started the war, but that wasn't me! You can't judge a person based off the sins of their forefathers!"

It's quiet now. The only sound that's heard is the flickering of the fire and the light crashing of the waves in the distance. What he's said has struck a nerve whether she admits it or not. She's so tempted to grab him and send him to a watery abyss. He stands there cool, calm, and collected while she's just about to explode. Why? She doesn't know. Probably because she hates the fact that he's right.

Instead of verbally lashing at him she leaves. It's probably for the best, he's calm but his heart is racing. He's waiting for a fight. She swiftly walks away and out into the jungle.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you!"

"What? Don't be stupid! We have to stay together!"

"I don't need any help from you! Scum sucker..."

"Just what - you know what? Fine! Have it your way then! I'm not fit for baby sitting anyway!"

"Fuck you." She shouts back as she disappears into the darkness. She doesn't know how far she's walked into the woods, there's barely any light to help her go by. The branches cut and prick her skin as she she passed them, she just hopes that none of them are anything poisonous.

Seems like she's been walking for hours before She finally comes to a cleaning and settles down on a slab of stone. She instantly regrets the decision of not bringing her fish with her, the fish she caught on her own.

"Stupid prince, what does he know anyway?" She leans back on her arms and gazes up at the sky. Her past is none of his concern, she doesn't know why she told him that little snippet anyway. She lays back on the cool stone and closes her eyes. Just because they're traveling together that doesn't mean that they have to like each other. She bolts up when she hears movement to her left, but she sees nothing when she investigates. A light breeze comes and blows her hair as she looks around, someone's there and it isn't Zuko.

There's a rustling to her right and she whips around only to find nothing again. When she turns back around something, someone rather immobilizes her from the behind. Her hands are locked behind her back and a arm is pressing tightly around her neck and cores her mouth, nearly breaking off her oxygen. She can't see anything but the dark outline of trees. She can't even move her legs because the person has closed his legs over hers. She's completely defenseless

"Well, what do we have here?" The mans gruff voice makes her ears ache. He reeks of stale whiskey and musk. It makes her skin crawl and stomach turn. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone huh?"

Red flags shoot up in her brain and her heartbeat accelerates.

His other hand comes up and tugs on her bandaging. She wriggles, struggles and fights but she's completely overtaken. Her eyes shut tight before snapping open again, someone else is here.

There's a breath, a sizzling and jerk behind her, then she's freed. The man drops onto his smoking back with building eyes and a gaping mouth. She can't quite see his face very well but she sees that he's very harry. Breathing heavy she looks up at her savior. Zuko lowers his hands and walks to her.

"Are you alright?" He asks her. He nudges the man in the side with his boot. The man doesn't move. Zuko raises his head at her, his expression is unreadable in the dark. Zuko just saved her life whether she wants to admit it or not.

"Yeah," she breathes. "Thanks." The two of them walk back to their makeshift camp in silence. "So, uh...how'd you know about-"

" - you being in trouble?" She nods. "You took too long to come back and so I went to look for you."

"Oh." She says, a bit embarrassed at her predicament. She thinks that maybe after this-

"You're supposed to be a master water bender, some infamous rebellion leader huh?" He snorts before he walks on ahead and leaves a steaming Katara behind him.

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	6. Chapter 6

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary:An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion.**

**SIX**

Katara rolls her eyes to the top of her head when the fire bender behind her sneezes again for the tenth time. It's bad enough they have no food, no supplies, and no money. Now he's somehow gotten sick, much to her annoyance. So sick that they had to stop three times in the past hour. He's sneezing and coughing back to back, he's even looking paler than she remembers. On top of that, it's a bad storm brewing. She can feel the water smell it in the air. The clouds are so dark and the winds are picking up. They've been traveling for days and days. They're tired, hungry, but at least they've found a village. Katara instantly recognizes it as Makapu village. It's not too small but then again it's not too big either.

Katara guesses that they can stay here for a day or two, that's if they can find a place to sleep. It's not part of the Fire Nation Territory, so she'll be safe. She just has to get to Full Moon Bay and then head on out to Ba Sing Se to get a real ship and then she'll be able to get to Whale Tail Island. It's been two weeks since her capture, the others are supposed to wait a month. She's sure they've heard that the boat she was on didn't make it to the Boiling Rock by now.

"We should stop in here." Zuko says after a series of dry coughs. His voice is stuffy and his nose has turned red. Katara stops and looks back at him. The place looks like some kind of shrine. It certainly is very bigger than the other homes she's seen since they got here.

"There's probably nothing in there but priests and nuns." She turns and continues walking. She doesn't want to be standing in one place for to long, the men in the village are staring too hard.

"Then they can't deny someone help." Zuko goes in without knocking or anything. She clicks her tongue and stomps on in behind him. The place is decorated in different shades of purple and yellow. Katara thinks it's a strange color mix, they don't really match to her. She follows behind Zuko and sits one one of the plush black pillows. The floors are polished wood and there's a shield of beads that serve as the entrance to one of the doors. Katara faintly wonders what's in there...

"Welcome to Aunt Wu's fortune telling shop!" A woman emerges from behind the beads. She's pretty solid, with greying hair that's pulled in a bun at the top of her head. She's wearing red and gold robes and a face full of makeup. Her green eyes are wrinkled and her fat cheeks are beginning to say from her old age. Katara eyes her as she strolls over to Zuko, could this woman really be a fortune teller? She hopes not. The woman may be able to recognize who Zuko really is, but that's not what Katara is worried about at the moment.

Aunt Wu snatches up Zuko's hand in hers and runs her hands over the inside of her palm. He briefly looks at Katara for help, she only shrugs at him and looks away.

"I've never had a member from the royal family come to my shop since Ursa." Aunt Wu mumbles, but Zuko hears her clearly.

"How did you know about-"

"- How did I know about your mother? Or how did I know who you are? I'm a fortune teller! Now shut up!" She says sharply. Zuko glares and Katara sniggers."How far you are from home Zuko. My, you will be torn between two paths, you will have to make a great decision that will affect everyone around you. One path leads to glory, happiness, a path of love and triumph. But the other leads to self destruction and turmoil! Every one around you will die, you will receive great pain! But, on a lighter note, you will fall in love with a beautiful and powerful bender, very powerful."Aunt Wu drops his hand and Zuko stares up at her in awe. He really believes her. "Do not worry, your uncle is fine. He will find you."

Katara scoffs as she twists her hair in a braid. "Everyone has a path to choose in life, that's not much of a fortune."

Aunt Wu looks Katara over before she slowly steps to her. "Give me your hand."

"No." Katara says back defiantly. "I don't believe in fortunes." Aunt Wu reaches out with the speed of a rattlesnake and grips tightly onto Katara's hand and only a half a second later Aunt Wu drops it like Katara burned her to the bone.

"Oh my!" Aunt Wu gasps as she clutches her chest. "Oracle of the Southern Water Tribe, you left your land, and at such a young age. So much pain and strife in your future and past. If you continue on this path of four years-" she points a polished ring finger at Katara, know only stares back at her with an unreadable expression. "-You will face a terrible demise! You family will face a horrendous tragedy!"

"Wait- Persian, you're an oracle?" Zuko narrows his eyes at her. "Why the-"

"-You heed my words, you must and will return to your home!" Aunt Wu warns her, something about the woman's tone shakes Katara's soul.

"I'm never going back there, your silly little fortune won't change that."

Aunt Wu snatches both of her hands this time, and runs her fingers over them. This time she doesn't let go, and Katara can't break free. She looks at Zuko for help, he only shrugs and sneezes.

"I see, ah..." Aunt Wu murmurs. "Your future won't be too dark if you choose the right path. Either way, you will still experience a star crossed romance with a very powerful fire bender." She releases her hands. "Sokka is looking for you."

"Sokka?" Zuko coughs. "That's who that boomerang-"

"-That's a lie!" Katara says. "I don't believe a word you're saying."

"Of course not. You don't believe it because you don't want to believe it, oracle." Aunt Wu raises her grey brows and Katara's fists ball.

"That's not my name!"

"Right, Katara." Aunt Wu smiles and goes back over to Zuko. "Come along now, you will be staying here for three days. By that time the storm will have passed and you will be rested and healed."

Zuko follows Aunt Wu into the back and leaves Katara alone in the room staring down at the lines on her hands.

"You're an oracle. That's how you knew about the dagger in my boot. But I thought that people like that didn't exsist." Zuko doesn't take his eyes off her, even as he wipes his nose with a white rag that Aunt Wu gave him. Katara ignores him and pours the gravy over her rice and meat. Luckily for them the old woman has enough food to feed them, how long has it been since she's had a good meal?

"Why would they banish you if you're their oracle?" He continues. "Don't they need you or something?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" She drinks from her tall glass of juice.

"Anyone would want to know this."

"Yes, I am an oracle. Are you satisfied now? Why'd your father ship you off to sea?"

"It was to bring you to your execution and to get the prisoners of the boiling rock in order."

"Oh? Is that so?" She scoffs. "He could've sent anyone else to do that but he sent you. Look how it ended up!"

His eyes narrow. "I hope you haven't forgotten that I am the prince of the Fire Nation-"

"-Here you go throwing around that title again."

"Are you always like this?" He shouts.

"Like what?"

"So.. So stubborn and unruly!"

"I was born this way."

"Well it seems to me that you were born wrong!"

"Oh, so if it's not Fire Nation it's wrong? Is that what you're saying?"

"No-Well, whatever you think I'm saying I'm saying it!"

"Well, why are you even trying to be so nice now? You were ready to kill me on the ship!"

"So what the hell do you expect? Do you actually want to argue back and forth the entire way to wherever the hell-"

"-Full Moon Bay."

"What?"

"I said we're going to Full Moon Bay." She slams he hands on the oak table. "No, let me rephrase that. I'm going to Full Moon Bay."

"And then what?"

"Full Moon Bay and then Ba Sing Se, after that you aren't my problem anymore." Katara cannot wait to get away from him, mostly because she doesn't want to catch his sickness.

"Good riddance." Zuko huffs.

The two then finish their food in silence. Katara keeps her eyes on her own food. Later that evening she sits out in the small garden area and looks up at the crescent moon. She mentally curses Aunt Wu and her supernatural powers, but who is she to talk? She's no different from her. Katara is really supposed to be in a temple in the South right now, inhaling those incense and be locked in a room meditating, waiting for the spirits to give her a vision. But, her father halted her spiritual training when he discovered her superior bending abilities. Sokka wasn't too pleased about that, but he still supported her. Before Katara was born Sokka was the best and only water bender in the entire South Pole. He was a master in everyone's eyes, the best! Even the stern and highly disciplined Pakku spoke of him with such praise, he really is a great bender.

But Sokka isn't a blood bender like she is.

"Your friend is getting worse." Aunt Wu says from the doorway. "The medics just left a little while ago. He needs the Lu flower that grows in valley at the very top of the tree. It's a black speckled flower with a bright red stem, you can't miss it. Katara, you're going to go get them for him."

"Excuse me?" Katara turns around and looks at her. "Do you not see the storm that's coming? What makes you think I'm going to help him?"

"Because if he doesn't get the cure it'll get worse and worse until..." Aunt Wu sighs. "That sickness is very deadly. It's best to catch it while it's in it's early stage."

"Yeah, right."

"It's such a burden isn't it?"

She turns back to the garden. "Of course he's a burden. I can't wait to get to Ba Sing Se and-"

Aunt Wu laughs "No dear, I'm talking about the gift."

"Oh..." Katara turns back around. "It's not a gift it's a curse."

"A blessing in disguise, though some visions i prefer not to have." She sighs.

"I haven't tried to see anything and I haven't gotten a vision of anything in nine years. When it tries to come to me I just fight it off, I don't want to see anything." Katara says. "The last thing I saw..." She closes her eyes. Aunt Wu looks down on her with sympathy.

"I understand completely. Of all the gifts in the world..." Her voice trails off. "Well, you'd better run along now, or you'll get caught in the rain." Aunt Wu swishes away.

"I'm not going."

"Oh, sure you aren't dear. Keep telling yourself that." Aunt Wu laughs, then she becomes serious. "They will find you, you know. Your days are numbered, they will bring you back to your homeland."

"I won't let them."

"They will make you."

Katara doesn't say anything else. Aunt Wu leaves without another word.

A little while Katara goes into Zuko's room. The woman wasn't lying when she said that he was getting worse. He's shirtless and on his back in the bed, the sheets are pooled around his waist. His nose and around his closed eyes are red, there's a slight sweat along his forehead and his breathing is dry. He tosses and he turns, Katara can't help but feel a little bit of sympathy for him. Even though he's Fire Nation and even though she can't stand him he did help her one time. Besides, he's still human after all.

She groans and pushes her hair out of her face. "Stupid prince." She stares at him a minute or two more before she leaves out the room soundlessly and heads to the valley.

"Great! Just...just great!" Katara mumbles to herself. As soon as she made it out to the valley and saw the flowers that were at the top of the tree, lightening cracked throughout the sky. Then, to make things even better it's pouring down raining. She's too busy focusing on not falling, using her hands to grip onto the wet branches of the tree, so she can't shield herself from the rain.

The South Pole doesn't have any trees, but that doesn't stop her from being a good climber. Jet taught her mostly, but some things about tree climbing she learned on her own. The bark is very slippery, one wrong move and she's going to fall from at least twenty feet. It's so dark out here, she probably chose the wrong time to get the flowers. She suppresses a shout when the thunder pounds through the sky. She looks up and squints her eyes through the rain, she only has a little more to go. She snatches down three of the flowers in her right hand when she makes it to the top and stuffs them into her pocket. When she takes a step down her foot slips and she falls through the sharp twigs and leaves and branches. She manages to catch onto a thicker branch but when she pulls her other arm up so that she can hoist herself up the branch cracks and breaks.

This time Katara falls a forty foot drop, she lands flat on her back, merely inches from a sharp rock. A little bit closer and she would've busted her skull. There's a sharp pain in her side, a really sharp pain. She already knows that it's one of her ribs that's fractured from landing on a crippled root. She grunts as she pulls herself up from the ground, luckily the flowers are safe. She's traveled with worse injuries than this, so she makes it back to Aunt Wu's place as fast as she can.

When she gets back to Aunt Wu Zuko is sitting up in his room wrapped tightly in blankets in front of the chimney.

He sneezes. "Where were-" she doesn't let him finish his sentence. She goes over and shoves the flowers into his mouth and stomps down the hall to her own room. That next morning when she's healing her side, it's a fractured rib just as she'd thought, Zuko comes into her room. He's looking better today, the flowers have really worked.

"Don't you know how to knock?" She says without looking at him.

"Why'd you get the flowers?" He asks. "You could've let me undergo the entire thing, not that I don't think you didn't think about it."

"Because you helped me and In return I helped you."

"Yeah, thank you, for not letting me die and stuff." Zuko tells her. "I appreciate it."

"Yeah."

The prince frowns. "Why can't you just say 'you're welcome'?"

"Maybe I don't want to!" She returns the water back into the bowl and places it on the nightstand. "Why can't you just accept it and shut up?"

He frowns more at her and another shouting match breaks out.

"Why- You're so sickening! Why do you have to be so stubborn and arrogant?" His nostrils flare and his fists ball at his side.

"Is it that important?"

"Yes, yes it is that important! There's some things in this world called mannerisms! You would've known that had you-"

She spins around on him. "- Had I what? Had I been born to a noble Fire Nation family? Oh, excuse me your prickness! I forgot that if it isn't Fire Nation it's no good!"

"You don't have to throw dirt on my nationality every chance that you get, peasant!"

"Peasant?" Her eyes narrow. "Now I'm a peasant? Just what makes you any better than me, Zuko?" She's never said his name directly to him before. "Or have you forgotten Im a princess by birth?"

"A princess?" He almost guffaws. "You're a rude, hardheaded, stubborn, and rough and out of control! You don't respect anything!"

"I respect those that earn my respect. You will never have my respect!" She swears. "Never!" She proceeds to walk out the door with her bathing materials that Aunt Wu was generous enough to give her.

"Good, I don't want anything from you! Now I see why your father banished you! You're so insufferable-" the wind is knocked out of him when she throws her body against his and tackles him to the hard floor, and that gives her the opportunity to quickly straddle him and land a punch across his cheek. His fist is balled into the front of her shirt and his other hand is on her shoulder to try and push her off. They roll left and right, Zuko on defense while Katara takes the offense. She doesn't have to use her bending to fight, she grew up in the South Pole, a place that's predominantly male.

Only a splash of water is able to separate them. They jolt apart, Katara quickly bends the water off her but she throws it directly at Zuko. He exhales steam and takes a step towards her but Aunt Wu yanks him back by his tunic. She gives Katara a stern look.

"There will be no fighting in my household, no fighting!" She releases Zuko's tunic.

"She attacked me like a savage!" The prince flexes his jaw and glares at her.

"You should learn how to think before you open your mouth." She retorts. "Didn't they teach you that at that fancy academy?"

"They taught me a lot!"

"It obviously didn't do any good!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what the hell it means!"

"You're just - ugh!" Zuko throws his hands up as storms out of the room, leaving a trail of fire sparks behind him.

Katara snatches her up her bath things. "I'm sorry about that Aunt Wu."

"If you two don't learn to get along, you will lead each other down the wrong path Katara. You will cause each other destruction."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'll cause him more destruction than he will cause me."

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	7. Chapter 7

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Seven**

"How about this." She plays with a stream of water, tosses it from hand to hand. Zuko watches her, he's been watching her bend the entire time he just hasn't said anything yet. He just came in her room and sat down on the futon. "how about I don't talk to you and you don't talk to me? I think that's a good idea."

"Fine, not that I want to talk to you anyway." He grunts.

"See? That's what I'm talking about. Here I am trying to at least squash our differences, and you're trying to egg on fights!" She sends the water his way, he burns it out before it can get to him and glares back at her.

"Alright." He drawls loudly. "Alright fine."

She doesn't tell him anything after that. She resorts to unbraiding and rebraiding her hair. Tomorrow they will be leaving. She figures that they are at least a week and a half from Full Moon Bay, add a little more time since they'll be traveling by foot. They should be at the Ba Sing Se port by the end of the month. She sighs, one month. One month of traveling with him. She sits cross legged and looks out the window down at the townspeople. They're pretty busy people, always on the go.

"So..." Zuko starts. He flicks a small flame from hand to hand.

"So what?"

"How long has it been since you left the South Pole?"

She casts him a wary look before flicking her eyes back at the window. "Four years."

"How old were you?"

"I was fourteen." She says, a slight edge to her voice.

"Don't you miss home?"

"No."

"Oh..." He clears his throat. Katara resists the urge to roll her eyes. She's guesses since he's trying she can try as well. But what can she ask him? What's it like to be a prince?

"I'm guessing you've never been." She says. It's really making her gag to play nice with him.

"I've never been to either poles." He says honestly. "I've never had a reason to. Fire benders don't fair too well in the cold anyway."

It's true. Well, she guesses it's true. Fire benders need the sun and heat. They need to be around their element, being in the cold like that will only make them weak and sick. She tosses her braid over her shoulder and pulls her knees up to her chest.

"I can't say the same for water benders, well I wouldn't know. The sun doesn't make me weak, maybe it's just certain ones."

"Your etching...How long have you had it?" His eyes roam down to her hip where the etching is.

"As soon as they found out I was a water bender. I was seven when I discovered I could bend. My healing hadn't kicked in yet." She shrugs.

"We don't receive anything like that. But In my nation it's against tradition for a woman to mark her skin." There's a scoff to his voice, but for some reason Katara knows that he isn't offending her.

"I think women should be able to do whatever they want to do. They shouldn't need the approval of someone else."

"Exactly."

"What?" Did she hear correctly? She turns back to him. He's watching her, the flame is long gone and he's leaning back on the futon.

"I said exactly, as in I agree with you."

"It took three fights, an attack by a sea serpent and a swim in the ocean for that to happen." She half teases. He stands and stretches. She watches him, whether or not he's Fire Nation he's still a man. She looks away.

"If you're an oracle doesn't that mean you can see into the future?" He asks.

"I...I can't, I don't want to see anything. When I feel a vision coming on I just block it, I don't want to see that."

"When's the last time you got one?"

Her eyebrows lower and she casts her eyes to the floor. "The last one I had was eight years ago. Ever since then I've been fighting them off. I don't want to look into the future, i can make myself do that. Besides. it'll only destroy my present and make me feel some kind of way about my past. But the only way I knew you had a dagger in your boot was because I saw you put it there on the ship."

He faintly blushes. Had he forgotten she saw him? "Are you the only...?"

"Am I the only oracle? Yes. Don't they have those in the Fire Nation?"

"We just have advisors like the Fire Sages..." His voice trails off. She notices his uncomfortableness, she doesn't know why he's like that all of a sudden though.

"Anyway, it's a months trip to Ba Sing Se. We'll leave out early in the morning. If we limit our rest stops and travel until nightfall we may be luck enough to make it in three weeks."

"Three weeks? It should be sooner than that if the weather is on our side."

She shrugs. "Maybe. I'd need a map to make sure, it may only be two weeks or so though. Have you ever been on an expedition?"

"No, I've only traveled by ship. My sister has traveled every where."

"…I see." Katara detects the hint of distaste in his words. He's sitting in a chair now. His eyes are cast on the floor "it was her who took over Ba Sing Se wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was." He says dryly. Katara remembers the day when she first heard about Ba Sing Se. She was on Kyioshi island training with the female warriors. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How's your brother?

She frowns at him. "We don't get along."

"I see."

"How's your sister?"

"We used to get along. Not anymore." Be shrugs. Katara understands. Her and Sokka would fight so much, when they got older in agr the fights grew worse and worse.

"Your sister - I fought her twice - she's quite strong. This was last year, we fought once on whale tail island and another time in the western sea."

"She never mentioned it. Though, even if she did mention it I wouldn't believe her."

"Why not?"

He faces her, his eyes have darkened and he shakes his head. "Azula always lies."

**.0.**

The next morning after eating a hearty breakfast they leave out early just as Katara planned. Aunt Wu was generous enough to give them some supplies and coins. Aunt Wu pulled Katara aside before they left.

"They are coming for you, they will find you and they will bring you back home, whether you want that or not." She had said. Katara only frowned and told her that would never happen.

Now she's trekking through the woods with Zuko at her side. It's a pretty beautiful day, the suns out and the birds are chirping. There isn't a single cloud in sight. They have to be careful where they step, the mud hasn't dried up yet. Mud means bugs, all kinda of flying bugs. She hates bugs with a passion! She moves sharp twigs out of her way and shoves big plant leaves to the side. She curses when she feels herself begin to sweat. Behind her Zuko is even more irritated than she is. He's still a sheltered prince either way she looks at it. He isn't used to this wildlife. From sun up to sundown they'll walk, hopefully that'll cut down those three or four weeks.

"Where do you plan on going after Ba Sing Se?" Zuko's voice is raspy rough, probably due to the lack of water he consumed.

"I'm not telling you. I haven't forgotten that I'm still a wanted criminal, Fire Nations still after me and all, I'm not crazy. I'm not giving myself away."

"Fine. It's not like they can't find you." He arrogantly retorts.

"Let them come, and I'll drown them all and send them to a watery grave." She glares at him over her shoulder. He glares right back. Obviously he doesn't make much of her threat.

"There's not that many places to hide Persian."

"I don't hide. Dumb prince, how many times must I say that? Your people are just terrible at finding people."

"You're the epitome of crude, do you know that?"

"Yes, thank you."

It's more hours of endless walking and dry arguments before they, katara rather, decides to stop and make camp. Zuko sets the fire while she lays out their new sleeping bags. Aunt Wu gave them some perishables, so now they don't have to go out and hunt for food. That's a good thing, Katara doesn't feel like seeking out animals, plus there isn't even a stream or anything around here. She refuses to look into the fire, brings back too many memories. She hates fire.

Zuko is sitting across from her on his own sleeping bag. He stares directly into it with an unreadable expression on his face. She pulls her knees up to her chest and sighs into her arms. Zuko glances up at her but doesn't say anything. Good, she doesn't want to talk anyway. She can't wait to get to Full Moon Bay, she's never been there but she knows that the ships send the passengers to Ba Sing Se. When she hits Ba Sing Se she'll ditch the prince right where he stands, they won't ever have to see each other again. She pulls out the map from her pocket and examines it. They aren't anywhere near the desert, as a matter of fact they're closer to the cliffs of the hidden ferries than she thought. If they can just pick up the pace they'll make it there in no time. She rolls the map up and puts it back in her pocket.

Zuko watches her. He still thinks that she's his prisoner, she can't trust him even if she wanted to. The first chance Zuko gets he'll hand her back over to the Fire Nation. There isn't anyone who'd want Zuko, maybe the northern tribes but she'll rather die before she helps them.

"Your family causes a lot of trouble." She looks up at him. Where did that come from? "Do you know how much money it takes to rebuild those colonies, replace those goods and relocate all those people?"

"No, please educate me." She says, her voice is full of sarcasm.

"It's a lot." He narrows his eyes.

"Well, do you know all the blood and tears and pain your family has caused others over the years?" She comes back on him. "No, you probably don't. You don't seem too bright on history."

He gets mad at that. The fire flares up, her eyes widen a fraction before they return to their normal size. "It's the truth, whether you like it or not. You come from a line of murderers yourself."

"It is the truth then. I guess it does take a lot of money to do those things. Money can fix everything can't it? And the Fire Nation kills any and everyone for no reason, but you probably don't look at it like that. You probably think everything that your father and grandfather and great grandfather have done are alright."

"We gave you nothing that you didn't ask for."

"No one asks for war, stupid. Your fathers just hellbent on gaining control of the entire world." She refutes. "All those war efforts and troops that are taking over these nations little by little. You aren't trying to eliminate the weak and poor you're eliminating the competition."

His eyes widen before they narrow into slits. "There is no competition."

"Is that so? Water can take out fire, earth can put out fire... The more I think about it the more it makes sense."

"You don't know what you're talking about water bender." He snarls.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about. Unlike you I've been on many battlefields and I've experienced the losses that come from this brutality!"

_"Brutality?"_

"Yes, brutality! Do you know how traumatizing this is to children? Raiding villages, Men and women are taken away from their families, sometimes even killed before their own eyes. That creates children of war, if you didn't know. Those children grow up not caring about anything but revenge! But I guess that hatred is a great motivator." She says, trying not to shout. It's true, everything she's told him is true.

"The tribes kill too, don't try and make it sound like the Fire Nation are the only savages out there. There's blood on both sides of the field. We mourn for our lost ones too, who've died in the line of duty. You kill and you cause pain just as much as much we do!"

"And just what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're no different from us!" He shouts. She frowns and holds his intense glare. His words really struck a nerve, again. It's quiet now, not even the crickets are chirping but the cracking of the fire occupies the temporary silence.

"I hate you." She knows it's a weak comeback but it's true. She can't stand him, she detests his very presence. She stands and kicks her sleeping bag further away in to woods, away from him. He watches her.

"No, you hate what you think I did to you, which was nothing. I haven't even hurt you, Persian." He says in a matter of fact tone.

She slides into her sleeping bag and stares up at the sky. "There's one thing that the water tribes aren't infamous for doing...unlike the Fire Nation."

"And what's that?"

"The men of the water tribes don't take pleasure in raping young captured prisoners." Her voice is cold, steely and low but she knows that he heard her. "And for that I'll never find honor in any of you."

She leaves Zuko awake with wide eyes.

He awakes before her the next morning. He doesn't tell her anything, as a matter of face he doesn't even look at her. Good. They continue on their path with no words spoken between them. This time Zuko takes the lead and she follows behind. They don't say anything for six days, six days. Katara finds it better this way. This way they won't have to argue and fight like cats and dogs.

On the sixth day though, he's the first to speak. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" She asks quickly as she catches herself when she almost trips over a log. Her throat is dry and hoarse, she needs water.

"I... I don't know exactly. I'm guessing it was you who...?" He looks back at her as she walks. She momentarily pauses. She knows exactly what he's talking about.

"Maybe it was maybe it wasn't." She shrugs and wipes her forehead.

"I didn't know that things like that still happened, I thought my father abolished that."

"It's sick." She says. "That's why..." She pauses. What was that? That heavy pounding in her ears, it isn't from her or Zuko. And it's two, ones a man and the others a woman.

Zuko stops and looks back at her in confusion. Katara's eyes search the top of the trees.

"Someone's here." She pulls out the sword she got -Stole- from the local blacksmith in Makapu village.

Zuko looks at her skeptically. "What? How do you-"

"-Hey 'Tara." A new masculine voice from her right says. She spins, she can recognize that voice anywhere.

The said man twirls that piece of straw around in his mouth and stands casually with one hand on his hip. He smirks crookedly at her and his shaded eyes take in her form, he completely ignores Zuko.

"Jet!" She sheaths the sword, happy to see him. She runs into the mans awaiting arms. "What are you doing here? Where are the others?"

He pulls back, a semi sullen expression on his face. "Im heading back to base. The others have resorted to plan B on the island. I told them to wait a month just in case."

Behind him Smellerbee scoffs. She never was too happy about Jet's obvious affections for Katara. Katara ignores her as she takes in this new information. Her face drains, at least they're alive. She's happy about that but still, they've resorted to plan B, and that means they're waiting on her to get back to their base. If she doesn't show up then that means they'll united with the tribes and or the earth kingdom. They're all rebels, rebels from all over the world except from the tribes, who want to fight against the Fire Nation. They support her more than they support the tribes themselves.

It's only two hundred members but still. Her rebellion force has enough water and earth benders In it. She has to get to the island, and fast. But that's way in the southeastern waters. Damn it!

"How long has it been since you left?" She asks Jet.

"Two weeks maybe. Don't worry, they're safe. They're persistent on waiting for you, they haven't disbanded yet." He shrugs. "Just where are you heading anyway? Whose this guy?" He frowns at Zuko. "Where were you?"

"It's a long story, but this is Lee and we're on our way to Full Moon Bay, we have to get to Ba Sing Se." She's a good liar, she's had years of practice.

Zuko does a double take at her before he rolls his eyes. He crosses his arms over his chest and turns the side, something he does when he's annoyed.

"What's in Ba Sing Se?" Jet looks at her suspiciously.

"Ships." She tells him. "See, we're just traveling together. Once we get to Ba Sing Se we go our separate ways."

"Sounds fishy to me, but whatever." Smellerbee scoffs. Smellerbee has the worst attitude in the whole entire world. Katara remembers when she first met Jet in the woods, Smellerbee didn't want him anywhere near her. She would do anything, anything, to make Katara look bad in front of Jet.

"You're not too far from the Bay, I can escort you guys there." He eyes Zuko carefully. Katara lightly swallows, maybe he knows who Zuko really is. Jet hates the Fire Nation terribly, even more than she does. When he was right years old the Fire Benders killed his parents. Ever since then he's been extracting vengeance on all associated with the Fire Nation. With his wild temper and thoughtless actions, Katara has to watch him closely. Jet isn't all together in the head, there's something mentally off about him.

"Yeah, thanks." Katara nods. She adjusts the pack on her back. Jet and Smellerbee go on up ahead to lead the way, Katara is snatched back by Zuko, whose tailing the group. She snatches her hand away and glares at him.

"Just who are these people?" He asks as he motions up to Jet and Smellerbee.

"They're Freedom Fighters."

"And you trust them?"

"I don't trust anyone, not even myself sometimes." She shrugs and then picks up the pace to catch up with Jet.

"I ran into a southern fleet a couple of days ago." Jet says abruptly when she's at his side, much to the dismay of Smellerbee.

"Oh yeah?"

Jet nods. "Yeah, After you went missing. The chief and prince weren't anywhere on them though. Well, that's what the men said."

"Fabulous." She says dryly. "Where were they headed to?" She needs to know so that she can avoid them. She doesn't want to run into any of them.

"I think they said they were headed north, most likely to the north Pole. Was it Smellerbee?"

"Yeah, they're going to the north Pole." Smellerbee confirms. She runs her fingers on the length of her sword, casting a dirty look at Katara. "It's getting worse in the east though, Fire Nation blockades are popping everywhere."

"The bastards." Jet seethes besides her. "Every time we cut them down two more pop up in their place."

"I see." Katara says. She steals a glance back at Zuko. He's walking with his down in deep thought. He almost looks a tad sad. She doesn't care. The only thing she's worried about is getting to the island to regroup.

When the sun begins to set they set up camp. Once they get some firewood Zuko will have to light the fire the old fashioned way, she's glad he remembered not to use his bending for anything. Jets watching him so carefully, it's like he's waiting for one wrong move so he can have an excuse to slit his throat open. She makes Zuko come along with her to father wood while Jet and Smellerbee stay at the camp. It's quiet at first when they start scavenging for the wood.

"That's your boyfriend?" Katara almost drops the wood when she hears his question.

"Are you serious right now?" She tries to hide the amusement in her voice. "You've got to be kidding me, Lee."

"No, I'm not." Zuko responds.

"What made you think that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He shrugs. "Shouldn't every female like you have one?" He pauses. He looks like he's just said something that he was only supposed to be thinking.

"Jet and I are just friends, it doesn't get any deeper than that." It a lie but he doesn't need to know that. Her and Jet do have a history. She turns to walk back to camp then she pauses. "What do you mean every female like me? Are you patronizing me or something?" She frowns deeply with narrower eyes. Katara highly doubts that he's complimenting her, he wouldn't ever compliment her. It just wouldn't be right, he's Fire Nation and she's from the Southern Water Tribe.

Zuko blinks. "Why can't you just take a compliment Persian?" There's that gruff and arrogant tone again. "Just because I'm a..." He catches himself. "I'm still a man."

Yes he is.

"Actually I can't. I don't believe compliments."

"Why not?"

"Because they aren't true." She then heads back to camp. She dumps the wood down in a pile and goes back to her sleeping bag to retrieve her waterskin. She shakes it, it's completely empty. Great, just great. She'll have to get some from some plants later on. She watches as Jet works to get the fire started. Smellerbee sits and waits, it's no surprise that her sleeping bag is right by his. Zuko watches Jet's attempts with a look of boredom. He rolls his amber eyes to her and she shakes her head. He sighs and leans back against the tree trunk. After a few more minutes Jet finally gets the fire going.

"So Lee." Jet starts as he unwraps one of the sandwiches that was made by the old fortune teller. "Where are you from? You look pretty Fire Nation."

"That because I am." Comes Zuko's quick reply. Katara looks up at him with wide eyes. Jet freezes, his eyes hard. Smellerbee sits up. "I'm half Fire Nation and I'm half Earth Kingdom, my mother died giving birth to me and my father was killed in a Fire Nation raid ten years ago."

Jet seems to accept this answer, but Smellerbee is reluctant to. She turns to Katara. "So just how did you two meet anyway?"

"He helped me recover when I washed up on a bank. Turns out we were going the same way, so decided to travel together." Katara shrugs.

"I don't buy that." Smellerbee says. "I don't buy that at all."

"You don't have to buy it Smellerbee. It's not meant to have your approval." Katara glares across the fire at the other female. Zuko eyes her, probably because he's never heard her use that tone of voice before. Smellerbee doesn't say anything back, she only glances sideways at Jet and finishes her food. Jet is in deep thought about something.

That night Katara doesn't sleep. Instead she goes to refill her water skin. She knows that it's Zuko behind her, she continues what she's doing.

"I've never seen a water take water from a plant before." He says. She turns to him. The cool wind blows his hair across his face.

"Shouldn't you be sleep?" She changes the subject easily. "The others went to sleep."

"I can't sleep."

"Tell me about it." She screws the top back on her water skin and looks up at the crescent moon.

"So how'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Take the water from the plant. How'd you do it?"

"Are you sure you saw me take the water from the plant?" She feigns innocence. "Maybe it was just your imagination you know?" He stands a bit shocked, surprised that she'd use this type of phycology on him. He quickly regains his posture and blank expression. She drums her fingers on the edge of the waterskin. "I guess you think what that man said was true too huh?"

"It could be true, you know those rumors go both ways. But I'm starting to believe it's true."

"Oh?" Her eyebrows raise. Now she doesn't have any desire to fight or bicker with Zuko, she doesn't know why but right now she's enjoying his company, she's enjoying messing with him. She hoists herself up and sits on a low branch. She leans back against the tree trunk and puts her water skin in her lap. There's a full moon coming, she can feel it. Her veins are literally itching, it's so close, but maybe then again it's a few days away. The last full moon was the night she and Zuko abandoned the ship.

"I know what saw Persian." He half growls. What's with this guy? He's hot then he's cold then he gets warm.

"Okay, suppose I did pull the water from the plants. What difference would it make?"

His eyes narrow then return back to their normal size. He shifts from one foot to the next. "Then that means you're a blood bender."

She closes her eyes and sighs after she experiences a sharp pain in her gut. Blood bender. Witch. Monster. She's heard it all before but she still can't hear those words without it getting to her. When she opens them again Zuko is still there. He looks at her with -What's that?- concern? It can't be. It must be a trick of the moonlight.

"Aren't you scared?"

"Of you?"

Katara nods. "Yes, of me."

"I'm not." He stands straight and looks her dead in the eyes.

"Why not?" Everyone's scared of me.

"I'm intimidated, honestly. But scared? No."

"Yeah, that'll probably change soon." She hops of the branch and tosses her waterskin on her shoulder. Then she pauses, something strikes the back of her mind. She looks up at Zuko, him and the area around him pulsates before it's blurred. She drops to her knees.

No.

Not now.

Spirits please, not now!

Her hands go up to the sides of her head and she pulls at her hair. Her entire body shakes and her breathing becomes quick and dry. Why is this happening? Why now? Why?

She can hear someone calling out to her as she vision is clouded with things that she doesn't want to see. Then, everything goes black but a warmth engulfs her entire body.

**.0.**

**Read and review.**

**Question: What do you think happened to Katara?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Story title: **Caged Birds

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full Summary:** An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.

**Eight**

The first thing she sees when she awakes is a pair of shimmering golden eyes that are full of concern and curiosity. Zuko let's out a relieved sigh, then she realizes that he's upside down, no. Her head is in his lap. She sits up hurriedly, only to have warm hands grasp her shoulders and pull her back down. It's morning time, or noon, she can't really tell. The sun is so bright.

"You shouldn't move so fast water bender." Zuko scolds her. "Just keep still until you you're able to focus correctly. Don't move."

"Why- wait, are you commanding me?" She breathes.

"You can call it that or you can call it giving good and helpful advice."

"Screw you, jerk bender." She moves and gets to her feet, she has a triumphant smile on her face when takes one successful step. When she takes another, she tips over. Zuko is there in an instant to catch her and lay her back down on the bedroll.

"Why are you helping me?" She asks as she closes her eyes.

"Because you helped me."

"So are we just going to keep playing tic tac toe until we hit Ba Sing Se?"

"Probably so, seeing as though how needful you are."

_Needful?_

"I'm going to let that one slide for now." She sighs. "Where are Jet and Smellerbee?"

"They headed out into the forest earlier to get some food. Look, I don't really trust him, her either -It's something about him though- just how do you know him?" Zuko asks.

"That's really a story for another time, it's awfully long and dramatizing. Dear spirits, must you be so wary and cynical of everything?" She says in a strange accent as she places the back of her hand on her forehead and sighs. Zuko looks at her dryly.

"So just... Just what was that last night?"

She removes her hand and opens her eyes. Zuko helps her sit up and she slowly takes her hair down from it's ponytail. What can she tell him? How can Se explain something as complex as this to him? Hell, she doesn't even understand it herself. She doesn't even want to think about what she saw lay night. It was so gory and vivd. It makes her stomach lurch. Zuko is watching her carefully, he's waiting on a reply from her.

"It was an anxiety attack." She covers. In a way it was, but then again it wasn't. Zuko almost blanches but he catches himself.

"An anxiety attack? That's the best that you can come up with? You were out cold for three days Persian." He points out and holds up three fingers. "Three days, and you aren't very light by the way! All you can come up with is an anxiety attack?"

"You're poking fun at my weight?"

"Yes I am!"

"I'm perfect for my age! As a matter of fact I'm under the weight I should be, you're just lacking muscle!" Three days? Has it really been three days? The way Zuko's talking right now, he's making it sound like he carried her for those three days of traveling. "You sound like you know what it was yourself."

"I do know what it was!"

"Three days of carrying dead weight!" He argues back. "But I already know what happened."

"Then why are you asking me?" She shuffles out the tangles from her hair and adjusts her eyes on the bedroll. A short laugh escapes her lips.

"Because I want you to say it!"

"How childish of you. What are you? Like ten or something?"

"I'm old enough to know enough."

"Why should I say it when you already know what's going on though?"

"Just... Ugh!" He throws his hands up in the air. "You're impossible!"

"I know."

"I'm glad we're on the same page here."

Jet and Smellerbee come back to the camp. The older boy holds a hand full of berries and plucks them into his mouth one by one. He grins at Katara when he sees her. She frowns and hurriedly puts her hair back up in a high ponytail.

"Hey 'Tara, it's about time you woke up. I was going to try and wake you earlier but Lee here insisted that I didn't." He settles down and sits next to her with his legs bent and his elbows on his knees. Katara looks at Zuko. He's rolling up his bedroll and placing it in the backpack.

"How much longer before we get to Full Moon Bay?" She quickly changes the subject.

"We should be there before sundown, but that's as far as I can take you. I have to get back to base to the others. We covered a lot of ground while you were asleep." Jet nudges her. She rolls her eyes at him and he chuckles.

She stands and gathers up her things. They're so close, she's so close to freedom now. "Let's head out then."

She stays beside Zuko the entire trip. Their arms occasionally brush together and it makes her jump. He saves her from falling a bunch of times. Smellerbee doesn't say anything, she doesn't even have a smart remark. Jet looks over his shoulder ever so often at them with curiosity and bit of jealousy. That fling she had in the past with Jet will continue to stay in the past. She could never have anything serious with Jet, she can't have anything serious with anyone. Not since back then...

Just as Jet said they arrive at Full Moon Bay that evening. The ferries have already left out and they won't be returning for a couple of hours. People of all ages and races are seated around waiting for the ferries to come back so they can get to Ba Se Se. Katara can easily believe that all these people were uprooted by the Fire Nation.

When she tries to follow Zuko to the stands Jet pulls her back.

"What now?" She asks.

"Your father and brother are looking for you Katara." He says softly, "You should fix that while they want to talk."

"Are you serious right now?" She snatches her hand away.

"Yes I'm serious!"

"Since when did you become so compassionate?"

He sighs and scratches his head with one hand on his hip. "Look, I wish I had a father and a brother like you do. I'm just saying. Fix it before it's too late."

"I'm not fixing anything that I didn't break!"

"See, here you go being stubborn again." He sighs. Jet really isn't a bad guy, he's just kind of shady and dark. That's what made her be so attracted to him back then. "Why can't you try? They want you back home."

"That's not my home anymore! I'm not fixing anything. It's not about you, it has nothing to do you. It doesn't even have anything to do with me."

He looks at her long and hard. There's a little bit of sadness in his puppy dog eyes.

"Thanks for escorting us. I'll send you a letter when I make it to the island." Then she walks away, leaving her first love on the cliffs.

Apparently they can't catch the ferry to Ba Sing Se, they don't have tickets and they don't have any money. She used the money that Zuko had to buy a new tunic and some knee high boots. He's still angry at her about it. They sit in a corner of the cave in silence, eating the last few sandwiches from Aunt Wu. Katara sits her food down and eventually puts it away. She doesn't have much of an appetite as the flashback comes to her mind. She looks over at Zuko. He's slinging a small flame from hand to hand.

"You wanna know what I saw?" She asks. He stops and looks at her.

"That's only if you want to talk about it."

"I saw a lot of blood and fire. Blood on ice, dead bodies. Men, women and children. And there was a lot of screaming. I saw Ozai, he was dead and then I saw your sister, alive. but I also saw my father and brother. They weren't dead, they were soaked in blood. I managed to block out the rest of it. I guess that's why I passed out because it was so vivid and I hadn't let any slip through in a long time."

A few seconds Zuko clears his throat. Katara thinks it must be embarrassing for him. "What do you think it means?"

"I honestly don't know, there's so many ways to look at it." She shrugs and leans back against the wall. "I hate them. I hate having this."

"Some would think that it's a gift."

"It's a curse, a curse that won't ever let me be in peace!" She crosses her arms as a child would do. "Right now I'm supposed to be in the southern water tribe. At first the elders said it was mandatory that I stay in the temple with them and learn my so called gift. But then my father saw how good I was at water bending. At twelve I was a master, an advanced master water bender, so he and others pulled the strings to take me out the temple and train me to fight in the war. Then Hama came along and passed on her techniques to me."

"Technique?"

She nods. "Blood bending. I mastered that by the time I was fourteen."

"Since you're a master bender shouldn't your father be proud?"

"My father has disowned me and my brother despises me. The masters, They trained me day in and day out, everyday all day. When I was banished, they banished me to the coldest ice tundra, I was underground in a metal cage, being fed once a day. I managed to escape and they put out a warrant for my arrest."

Zuko doesn't say anything after that. Katara hasn't told him the full details but that's a snippet of it. She feels a little bit better now, she's been carrying this burden on her heart for years. Zuko seems a bit lost, but that's only the tip of the ice berg. The rest is way, way darker. She shudders.

"Why were you banished though? Why did your father and brother lock you away?" He asks. He doesn't seem too pleased about she's telling him, but why should she care if he cares or not?

"I'm a threat." She states simply. "I'm dangerous."

_I'm a monster._

"You're not." He frowns and his brow creases. Some old man begins playing music besides them.

"You don't know me."

"I've seen enough."

"I reach inside people and I control them. I manipulate the water inside of their blood. That's against nature, it's against bending laws and I can't help but feel that's it wrong. When you saw me that night, I did take the water from the plants. Water benders can get water from any and everywhere. We are too versatile, too much of a competition for fire benders so I guess that's why Ozai wants us all eradicated."

"I do think that what my fathers doing is wrong. But the last time I spoke out about it I was nearly scarred for life." Zuko admits. He almost looks crestfallen like he feels bad for not doing more. "But there isn't just black and white in war, there's many shades of grey. There's losses on both sides of the battlefield, it took me a while to realize that. Basically you were banished for...?"

"That's really a long and dramatic story Lee. If we make across Serpents Pass then I'll tell you my story."

His eyes bulge. "Serpents Pass? We're taking that route? Are you crazy?"

"Would you rather help me steal a ferry? I've thought about hijacking a boat, but I'm trying not to resort that. Serpents Pass is for the desperate but that's what we are right now." She whispers harshly.

His eyes narrow. "I'm guessing that you haven't heard the stories about that route. There's a sea monster out there, and it's bigger than the one that knocked us off the boat! Suppose it comes up and attacks us."

"Then we'll fight it!" She pounds her fist into her palm. "What are you scared of?"

"Uh, how about dying at sea?"

"Oh." She forgot how Zuko isn't a big fan of open water. He's a fire bender after all. "I might be saving your skin again then."

"Probably." Zuko Scoffs in mild aggravation. "I thought for sure your boyfriend was going to stay."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Your ex boyfriend?"

_"Why?"_

"Fuck buddy? A friend with benefits?"

"I will just pretend that I did not hear you say that. The history between me and Jet is more complex than the history of Wan."

"Whose Wan?"

She blinks. "You mean you don't know?"

He shakes his head no. Katara sighs as she rolls out her bedroll. For to say he's a Fire Nation prince he certainly doesn't know too much of the ancient history. Katara has traveled the world and has studied everywhere. She loves history. If people knew history they can use that information to secure their present and prepare for their future.

"Wan was the very first Avatar. He Started out pretty much as a street urchin. This is back when all the nations floated on the backs of LionTurtles and the creatures of the spirit world ran wild." She lays down. "It's quite a story, but I think it's past your bedtime."

"I'll keep watch."

"Pardon?"

"I said I'll keep watch."

"It'll take us probably a half a day to get across the pass. If anyone tries anything while we're sleep I'll know." She turns her back to him. A little while later he lays down as well and his heartbeat slows. When she knows for sure he's asleep she drifts off too.

He wakes bright and early before her the next morning. She's still a little groggy from her uncomfortable sleep. Zuko has her bag ready and waiting and the two head on to Serpents Pass. They have to scale along the side of miniature mountain. It isn't big enough to really be an official mountain though. Zuko leads the way and she follows behind. Serpents Pass is a little sliver of raised earth that's surrounded by nothing but water. It's pretty high, luckily for Katara she isn't afraid of heights that much. She can't see Zuko's expression because he's behind her.

"You do remember that Ba Sing Se is under Fire Nation control as of this moment don't you?" He asks, there's something in his voice that Katara can't decipher.

"I know." Se purses her lips. "I don't care whose control it's under, Lee. Once I get there I'm leaving. You can stay or do whatever you want to do."

He doesn't reply.

She nearly walks into the back of him when he stops abruptly. She glares up at him as she rubs her nose. She steps to his side. There's no more trail. That's a huge space of water that they aren't able to cross. The other trail that will lead them to Ba Sing Se is a good bit away from them. She click her tongue with her hands on her hips. She knows that they call it Serpents Pass for a reason, it's probably riddled with a humongous serpent just waiting for it's next meal.

"So what now?" Zuko asks. She hands him her bag and ties her hair tighter into a ponytail.

"Is there really anything that we'll need in those bags?" She asks him. He rummages through them.

"No, nothing important." He confirms. "Why? Are you suggesting that we leave them here?"

"Yes, if something happens it'll only slow us down." She watches him set her bag aside and take his off his shoulders and place it on the ground. "Stay behind me." She instructs. She then moves her arms up and out to her side in one swift motion.

The sea parts at her command and she leads Zuko down into the bottom of the ocean. They are encased in a bubble with the body of water surrounding them. Katara remembers back when she couldn't even pull a stream of water out from a pond, now she's parting seas. The fish swim around behind the walls of water, all types of marine life. Zuko is closer to her than she thought he would be. From the pounding of his heart she can tell that he's scared. He thinks that at any given moment the water will come crashing down and he'll drown. It's true. It's a possibility. But Katara is an advanced bender and she's been doing this for years. Besides, she wouldn't let that happen.

She figures they are halfway across now, it shouldn't be too much further. She moves her arms and hands in fluid motion, they're beginning to get sore now. She hasn't used her bending like this in a pretty long time but it's still so exhilarating.

"What's that?" Zuko asks in alert behind her. She can't look back at him to see his expression, she's got to concentrate on not killing him.

Not killing by not letting the water collapse on him. It's funny because she used to wan to beat him to a bloody pulp. Now she's protecting him. Why? To hell if she knows. She pauses when a long,dark shape crosses in front of them. Her heart begins to beat faster and faster, she may have really led them to their deaths. Behind her Zuko tenses.

"This is why I didn't want to come here. I can't fire bend under water!" He says urgently. "It's surrounded us, it isn't moving."

"Hold onto me." She breathes. Just as he reaches out his arm to grab hold of her a long, scaled, horned tail breaks her bubble and separates the two.

It knocks Katara a few feet away and the falling water swishes her left and right. She regains herself and moves the water out of her way. She looks frantically for Zuko, but she can't find him anywhere. The sea serpent charges at her with a with mouth full of sharp fleshing tearing teeth. She shoots herself up to the surface and forms a ice pillar to stand on. The ice isn't slippery to her, she's learned to get used to it.

Zuko, where's Zuko?

She makes a long water whip with a sharp tip made of ice in her right hand and scans the waters. There! She sees a break in the oceans waters, Zuko pops up gasping for breath. Katara pulls him with waves as fast as she can. Right now she doesn't see the serpent, maybe it got bored and decided to go elsewhere. Zuko takes her hand and she hoists him onto the ice. He instantly heats the water off of him and lights his fists in fire. Katara moves around him and freezes a path of ice so that they could reach the other land. He follows close behind her, walking or running backwards to make sure the serpent doesn't pop back up. The serpent arises from the ocean depths and let's out a terrifying roar.

It's tongue is long and split in the middle. It's golden eyes stare at them with promise and hunger. Before she can say anything Zuko is already in action. He has two rather large fire whips in his hands and he flings them with such force at the beast. Most of his hits connect with the serpents flesh and it causes huge pink and red lacerations. He shoots a large blast of fire at it and it goes right into it's eyes.

Katara hops off the ice path and slides with great speed on the water. Maybe if she can trap it she can borrow enough time for them to escape. As she skates around it she raises layered walls of ice, ducking and dodging it's wild tail. Then she speeds back to Zuko whose already on the other side. She lands gracefully on the dirt landing and turns back at the beast, it's breaking down the ice barrier that she created and luckily for them they're already on the other side of the pass.

She wipes her hands down on her harem pants and Zuko ruffles his already messy hair. His heartbeat has calmed down now, hers has too.

"You're a pretty strong bender." He says tiredly.

"I know, look." She points her finger to the wall ahead of them. "We're here." Zuko follows her fingers to the Great Wall of Ba Sing Se. Finally! She sighs in relief, now she handle her business like she's supposed to.

"It shouldn't be a problem getting in." He states.

"I know. It's about time that I got rid of you." She knows it comes off a bit harsh but she can't help it. She can feel his eyes burning holes into the back of her head.

**.0.**

Getting into Ba Sing Se was as easy as lie. They went under the code names Lee and Kya, they told the guards that they came from Makapu to start over in Ba Sing Se. They were skeptical at first because Katara stupidly told Zuko to ditch the bags. They eventually bought it. Once inside they head straight for the port. There aren't any available passenger ships. But Thanks to Zuko and his expert lurking abilities he managed to sneak aboard the large vessel while she loosened the ties.

It didn't take much to do really, as soon as the men were flipped off the boat by Zuko and his amazing acrobatic skills Katara gave a mighty push to the waves and shot them far out to sea. There was nothing that the earth benders could do. Katara has to admit that he does make a good teammate for someone out of the Fire Nation. But she still knows that she can't trust him. She can't trust anyone, not even herself.

They find food and drink in the bowels of the ship and have a decent meal. They eat in silence, neither of them say a word. Afterwards She sits cross legged on the deck and looks up at the orange sky. Her and Zuko have come to terms about the boat. She will take him into the western seas and use the smaller boat to get to the Fire Nation. He's a few feet away from her looking over maps and schedules, they haven't spoken since they left Ba Sing Se. Katara knows she told him that if they make it through Serpents Pass but she can't herself to fully expose her life.

He's Fire Nation anyway, she's supposed to hate him! She isn't supposed to be helping him and things like that, holding casual conversations and fighting by his side. Katara has to admit that he is a very powerful bender. When she fought Azula and Zhao, their fire was wild and untamed. Zuko bends like he's more disciplined in the art of Fire Bending. She takes a swig from the vodka that she found below deck. It's surprisingly good too, but she guesses it's like that because she hasn't drunken any type of liquor in a long time. Zuko quirks an

eyebrow at her.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that stuff is bad for you?" He asks nonchalantly. She takes another long sip and slams the bottle down on the deck.

"Didn't I ever tell you that I don't give a shit?" She quickly replies.

"Are you always so vulgar?"

"Seventy five percent of the time." She shrugs. "Don't worry, we're like a day or two away from the Fire Nation." And as soon as he's off she's hightailing it out of there.

"Wonderful. You and that freedom fighter have much more in common now." He grunts. Zuko folds the maps back up and places them in a neat pile.

"That was my very first boyfriend. Met him when I was sixteen after I got washed up on shore by his base." She sighs and stands. She stretches her arms up high into the sky, Zuko watches the entire time. He realizes he's staring and adverts his attention to the setting sun.

When she first woke up and saw Jet hovering over her she punched him square in the nose. She has to laugh at that, it was a wet humorous moment because he fell back out of the treehouse. She instantly fell for Jet, it was mostly because of his looks and that allure that he has. He's so strong willed and yet so stubborn. He was her first everything.

Zuko clears his throat. "So you two...?"

"…Yes we did."

"Oh."

"Maybe if you do that more often you wouldn't be so high strung and uptight." She suggest. "That's your problem."

"As a matter of fact I have done that back home. It doesn't help much."

Her eyebrows raise and she puts her hands on her hips. "Oh really?"

"Yes really. I have a slew of ready and willing women at the palace." Katara doesn't like the thin warp sided smirk that spreads across his face. "You can always come back, I'm sure we can arrange a place for you in the harem."

She narrows her eyes at him. "You're suggesting that I be your concubine?!"

"It's only an offer." His grin widens. "Unless you want to..."

"A disgusting offer!" She stomps her foot. "And no, I'd never!" How dare he even say something like that! Just who does he think he is? He only laugh at her. It's a slow rumbling in his chest at first and then it gets louder and louder. He thinks this is funny?

"You find that funny?"

"Of course. That's why I'm laughing." He drawls out. "Now whose the uptight one?"

"Yeah, whatever. Why'd you carry me those three days?"

The question catches him off guard. He raises his head back up at her and cocks it a little to the side like he doesn't know what she's talking about. "Would you rather I let Jet and his lecherous hands carry you? We could've stopped altogether until you woke up. But I knew you wouldn't have wanted to delay our traveling."

"So you pay attention after all. I thought you hated me."

"I don't hate you, I don't hate anyone."

"Not even the water tribes or the Earth Kingdom?"

"Not even them. Why should I hate them Persian?"

"That's not my name!" She say back sharply. The whole time they've been together he's been calling her what he wants to call her. It's either Persian, girl, water bender, or peasant. "It's not Persian, it's not girl, it's not water bender and it's not oracle!"

He blinks. "Katana? Kateena? Katerina...?" He struggles to find her name in his brain. The more he tries to remember that's the more she silently seethes.

"It's Katara! Ka-Ta-Ra! It's not that hard!" She crosses her arms over her chest.

"Katara." She shivers when he says her name. It's like...she doesn't even know. That's never happened to her before. "It's strange but it's nice... I guess."

"From the time you were born your people taught you to look down on the other people. From the time I was born I was told that the Fire Nation must fall for the rest of the world to be in peace. We... No one comes into this world hating anyone." She looks at Zuko. She has his full attention. "But I don't like the Fire Nation, I hate them. I hate Ozai and I hate his followers. Hate didn't run through my veins as soon as I came out of my mothers womb, it came when I had to witness my mother killed in front of me. It came when I was hellbent on getting revenge, it's funny when you think about it. One man can make a person hate everyone."

"So you hate me still?"

"I hated you because you're Ozai's son. I hated you because one day, if not now, you'll be exactly like him. You'll make this world more fucked up then it already is."

"Ugh!" He grunts out in frustration. Katara looks at him with caution. Where did that out burst come from?

"I am nothing like my father. Yes, one day I do want the throne, but I am nothing like that man. You shun me based off the sins of my forefathers, don't you?"

"That's right. You're still one of them."

"You don't trust me."

"I don't trust anyone."

"You'll probably never trust me." Why does he sound so broken. He swallows thickly. "We come from two different backgrounds, I get that. But are they really so different?"

She doesn't want to find common ground. She doesn't to be Zuko's friend, does she? Or does she want more? She shakes her head and sighs.

_Stupid prince._

She leans over on the ships railing, it's nearly completely dark now. She sighs, It's a minute before she speaks again. "My father thought that I was going to be a boy, that's what he was hoping for. I was supposed to be named Kyoda, but I came out a girl. I was born in the dead of winter, it's the worst time to be born and I was sick when I came. I couldn't keep food down and I couldn't tolerate the milk. I suffered a lot, it got so bad to the point where they wanted to put me out of my misery." Her hands grip the railing tightly and her eyes lower to the dark waters.

"But they didn't, that's a good thing." Zuko is beside her now, he's really closer than he should be. She can feel his body heat radiating off of him.

"They didn't because they couldn't. My mother wouldn't let them. She stayed in the temple day in and day praying and begging that they heal me. A few days later I got better. I was healthy like nothing was ever even wrong with me." She closes her eyes. Her mother probably isn't too proud at her right now. Look at what she's become.

"I was sick too." Zuko says. His eyes are downcast and his bangs hang in his face. She doesn't say anything. She shouldn't be interested in the princes past. "My father says that Azula was born lucky. I was just lucky to be born."

Why a father would say something like that to his own son Katara doesn't know. Whose she kidding? Hakoda didn't even have to tell her anything to make her feel like absolutely nothing.

"Must be fun being a prince then." She says with pursed lips.

"It's not all what it's cracked up to be."

She sighs. "I know what you mean. I never asked for this."

"Neither did I."

"It's best you stay secure behind your palace walls." She says. "You won't make it out here."

"I've made it far enough."

"Is that so?"

"I saved you from that man in the woods." He points out. His golden eyes glint and the mysterious grin returns.

"Only because I saved you from drowning on that ship."

"Then I carried you for three days straight."

"That's only because I broke a couple of bones to get you those damned flowers to cure your sickness."

He's silent after that, neither of them make an attempt to speak. A breeze blows past her and she shivers. Then, Zuko unexpectedly puts his arm around her shoulders. He's very warm and he still smells good, she unconsciously leans into him. His heartbeat is running wild and once she realizes what's happening she pulls away from him. He looks down at her, confused and a tad disappointed.

"I...I'm going to go and get some sleep." She mumbles. Without waiting for him to comment she dashes on down to the bunks and collapses onto the small bed. She fights with her own mind, trying to control her wandering thoughts and hormones. The faster she gets away from Zuko the better. As she's dozing off she senses Zuko going into the room across from her. After tossing and turning the fire bender finally falls into a troubled sleep.

Katara doesn't know how long she was asleep before she felt a searing pain in her limbs. She snaps open her eyes to see and feel that she's being dragged somewhere. She fights and she struggles but her mouth is bound and her arms are held tightly behind her back. She can't sense Zuko, she doesn't know where he is. Who are these people? She wriggles more to get out of their grasp.

When she's dragged on deck though, she sees it's morning time. She guesses that the sun has just risen. Her eyes widen the size of saucers at what she sees. There's a boat with blue and white sails right next to their boat. On the boat stands men. They're muscled, tall and bulky men that wear water tribe battle clothing. all of them are clutching hold of some type of weapon. They all have tanned skin and blue or hazel eyes with dark hair that's riddled with beads. They look on at her with curiosity and appraisal. They look at her with shame.

_No._

_It can't be them._

_How?_

The men who bought her up to deck force her down to her knees. They're Northern Tribe, they've found her. But how? How?! Where is Zuko? Where is he? She tries to tug her hands free but they have a tight grip on them. She looks down at the deck, trying

Plus they've blocked her chi.

Fuck.

"I must say that I've always known you to be the rebellious type but I never thought you'd stoop this low." That voice. She hates it! It makes the anger stir up in her chest. A tall man with a wolf's tail approaches her from her right. "Suppose what Hakoda and the elders will be saying now about your current predicament, although I have to admit that this was a pretty cool journey in finding you."

Katara can't stop the scowl from forming on her lips. The cloth is removed from her mouth and disregarded.

"Hello Katara." He comes and stands before her. She glares at him with the heated intensity of a fire bender, wishing with all her might that her hands were free.

She looks up at him with cold eyes. "Sokka."

**.0.**

**Shit has officially hit the fan. **

**Uh oh, what's gonna happen next?**

**Read and Review**


	9. Chapter 9

**Story title:** Caged Birds

**Author: **XxToToXx

**Full Summary**: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.

**Nine**

"Let me go!" She struggles and fights with all her night against the three only restrain her tighter. Two are holding her arms and another one walks behind her holding her hands tightly. She doesn't know why they've got her guarded like this, her bending is gone. They knew better than to shove chi blocking herbs down her throat, they know she's immune to it. Where's Zuko? That's what she's trying to figure out right now, she hasn't seen him and no one has said anything about him.

Then there's Sokka, since when has he worked with the Northern Tribe so closely? He's gotten more warrior beads in his hair, but he still doesn't have a mustache or a beard, something that he's always wanted. She clenches her jaw, she already knows what they plan on doing. They plan on taking her back to the South Pole. But then what about Zuko? They'll probably kill him, yes, they will kill him! Zuko doesn't know that his father sent him out to sea to die.

It was all a evil scheme.

The men, she doesn't know their names or anything, shove her a little less than gently into a room and close and lock the door from the outside. She spins and bangs harshly on the door with all her strength and curses them brashly.

"Still as bold as ever aren't you Katara?" A voice arises from behind her. She turns her head with her fists still planted on the door.

"Sangok."

"I'm flattered that you still remember my name." Said man leans back on the desk and looks her over.

Back in the South Pole before she got banished her and Sangok were betrothed. She had always admired him and she loved the way he water bended. She grew to like him back then, she almost didn't want to break off the arranged engagement. That was until she found out he only wanted one thing, she was nothing to him in his eyes.

At thirteen she was a mockery of a woman to him. She was flat chested and her ears were a bit too big for her head, all in all she wasn't the best looking female in her tribe. He didn't want some tiny, thin, ugly little girl. She never told anyone what he said to her that night, not even Aang and at that time the two of them were best friends.

Now she's taller, curvier and thinner. She no longer has her baby fat and she's way fuller than the last time he saw her. Her lips have become fuller and her eyes shaded by a thick dramatic layer of lashes. Now she almost regrets wearing this v necked fitted tunic with such short sleeves, the form fitting harem pants and these tall boots. All all of her clothing are black and navy blue, two of her favorite colors.

No, she doesn't regret it. Let him see what he missed out on.

"Aren't you quite the beauty now. I see you grew up well, how long has it been? Around four years right?" He asks. Whys he talking to her like this? Like they're friends, he made it known to her that they weren't ever anything.

She moves across the room to him. "You tell them to let me off this ship Sangok, or so spirits help me-"

"-What?" He urges. "You'll do what? You'll kill us? You're still in trouble and warranted by the South, you really wanna add onto that Katara?"

"I don't care who I'm warranted by. Let me and Zuko go."

He raises an eyebrow. "Zuko?" He frowns and squares his jaw. "So you're having relations with the enemy now? That's treason Katara!" He shouts.

"Treason? I'm not even part of the tribes!"

"You're still having relations with him." His blue eyes narrow.

"What relations? You're insane!" She scolds him.

"The only way we found you is because we thought it strange that a Earth Kingdom ship was in the Fire Nation's waters completely defenseless and with no captain in sight. It just happened to be our lucky day, a lost princess and a Fire Nation prince." He scoffs.

"He's nothing to me."

"That's what your mouth says."

"Where is he?"

"Why? If he's nothing to you then it shouldn't matter where he is. Arnook and Hakoda are waiting at the North Pole, the elders and the chiefs will be deciding your fates. There may still be hope for you, but the fire bender will receive punishment either way it goes.

Her fits ball tightly and she seethes at him. How she wishes she had her bending. Her worst nightmare has come true, she's going to be going back to the tribes. She turns away from him and puts her head in her hands. This cannot be happening.

"So it's true." Sangok approaches her. "You did succumb to him."

"What are you talking about now?" She whips around on him.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"The last time I checked I was a free woman. You and me never were, we never will be. We are nothing, so it shouldn't be any of your concern who I succumb to!" She retorts.

He doesn't say anything for a long time after that. Does he regret his decision? She sure hopes so.

"Hakoda wants you back at the pole, so don't worry. You won't be cooped up for too long."

The door opens and Sokka walks in along with Hahn, who eyes her warily. The last time she saw Hahn was six months ago at the black cliffs, it wasn't a good meeting. Sokka is taller now, way taller than her. She guesses that she only comes up to his shoulder. He looks at her with a million emotions running through his eyes.

"I'm not going to the pole." She says dangerously low but she knows they heard her. "I refuse to go there."

"You don't have much of a choice." Comes Hahn's quick reply. "The best thing you can do right now is just sit tight and try to behave."

"You've been causing trouble all over the globe and the Fire Nation thinks that it's us doing all of that." Sokka says. "Not that it isn't helping or anything but some things were a bit messed up."

"I've always said that the battlefield isn't a place for a woman. We've got more things on our plate now." Hahn mumbles as he sits behind the desk. Sokka eyes him coldly while Sangok frowns. That's one of the reasons why Katara has little to no respect for this man.

She brushes past Sangok and Sokka and slams her hands on his desk. "When was the last time you were even on a battlefield Hahn?"

"I've been on the battlefield plenty." He says curtly.

"I can't tell, that's all you do Is stay behind your little desk or in the captains pit giving out orders. You probably haven't even fought a fire bender yet."

"…Katara." Why is Sokka calling her? Why is he even talking to her? Why is he even here?"

"Ive fought plenty and I've killed even more." Hahn says as he stands. "Just because you were out doing God knows what with that fire bender that doesn't give you a right to take a jab at anyone." He's a pretty good person as Katara remembers, but it's just when he has that stupid badge on he thinks he controls everything. They used to be friends back then. Things change she guesses. He's stubborn and arrogant but they've always found reasonable ground.

"I wasn't doing anything with him. My battle scars are far worse than any man here and I have plenty." She says coldly. "Now you let me off this ship."

Sangok briefly excuses himself and leaves out of the room. Good riddance.

"We can't do that Katara. You know that." Sokka says. "We've been looking for you for years. You escaped... We still don't know how you were able to do that, but my father wants you back home."

My father.

He didn't say our father.

"Home?" She laughs at him. "That's not my home."

"You're right, but it was your home before you abandoned it."

"Abandoned?"

"You were born and raised there so technically that is your home." Hahn states. "You're going back whether you like it or not. Your punishment is whatever Hakoda decides."

"Home is where the heart is if you didn't know." Katara says as she straightens herself up. "I have no heart and I have no home."

Sokka's heartbeat speeds up and Hahn looks at her almost with pity.

"You mind giving us a minute Sokka?" Hahn asks.

"Gladly." The warrior states. He doesn't even spare Katara one last look before he slams the door open and leaves out. Hahn sighs and leans back in his chair.

"You can let me go if you wanted to Hahn. Just say that I escaped. No one will have to know." She insists. "You know you don't want to bring me there, you didn't even want them to banish me let alone lock me away."

It's just them now. He doesn't have to keep up that stone cold act anymore.

"I'm stuck between a rock and hard place here Katara. Everyone's seen you, everyone's seen the fire prince. If I let the chiefs daughter go now they'll know it was me who helped you. Just what are you doing with the prince anyway?"

She pauses. Should she tell Hahn? "Why?"

"Because the last time I checked 'Tara, you hate everything that involves the Fire Nation. That's why I'm finding it odd that you were found with him. When I sent the men into the ship I had no idea that you were there, they didn't know who you were but they still took the precaution of blocking your chi." Hahn cocks his head sideways at her.

"I got separated from the others a while ago and I ended up at the Royal Palace-"

"-The Royal Palace?" His eyes bulge.

She nods. "I was fighting one of the northerners ships, I don't remember who was commanding it. I was knocked unconscious and then some Fire Nation soldiers bought me to the palace for interrogation. They kept asking me about the avatar."

"And?"

"I gave them false leads. I was supposed to be at the boiling rock for execution but some complications came up. I just ended up being stuck with the prince."

"Did they touch you?" He asks sternly.

"Who?"

"Ozai, the prince, any of the bastards." Hahn frowns. "At any time did they touch you?"

"Zuko never did, neither did his father. Two fire benders tried to one night though."

"What about before that?"

"What do you mean before that?"

"You were wandering the world Katara, we thought you were dead until Sokka said that you attacked him a couple months back. Hell, even I thought you were dead until today." He tells her with serious eyes. Katara refuses to tell him what happened to her, she refuses.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say that you were worried and you all missed me." She drawls as she turns away with her hands on her hips. "Luckily for me I do know better."

Hahn sighs heavily and rubs his face. "We do miss you, we all missed you Katara."

"Lies!"

"It's the truth!"

"Where is he?"

"The fire prince?"

"Yes, where is he? I want to see him." She turns back to face him.

"He's in the holding cells where we keep all the prisoners. Why?"

"I want to see him." Why? She doesn't know.

"We didn't touch him if that's what you're worried about."

"So that's your friend? Is that your lover?"

"No."

"Right." He says with pursed lips. "See him if you want to, but he isn't going anywhere. We'll be at the south Pole in three days since now since the water benders gave us a push from Fire Nation, you were pretty close to Azulon's gates I'm surprised the alarms didn't go off."

"What?" She frowns and her eyebrows come in.

"You didn't know? I'm guessing that he was going to turn you back into the Fire Nation probably." Hahn shrugs. "This really is a headache for me. I'm not even going to try to understand all of this. Let's go, I'll take you to the holding cells." He stands and comes from behind the desk.

"And Aang, hows he?" She follows him out the room and down the hall to a series of small steps.

"He'll fight but he won't kill. That's a problem, the elders are thinking about getting rid of him." He says lowly. "He's got all the elements down, he's just scared. He misses you more than anyone, he's really...he's just a stone now you know?"

Who wouldn't be? Aang is just a thirteen year old kid. When she and Sokka first found him in the ice berg they didn't know he was avatar. Katara and Aang instantly clicked, he showed her kindness and hope when no one else did.

Hahn opens up a door for her and steps to the side. "He's down there, five minutes alright?"

She nods. "Five minutes." She heads down the miniature set of stairs and Hahn closes the door behind her.

"Per- Katara?" She finds him in the corner of a cell at the end of the hall. The only light that's down there is the light the pours in from the small metal barred window.

"It's me." She holds onto the bars of the cell and looks inside. "Are you... Alright?"

"I've been better." He stands and goes to the bars, his hands are covering hers and his thumb rubs the soft skin. She doesn't try to to move, she doesn't tell him to stop because she doesn't want him to. His face is clear of any bruises and scratches, that's a good thing. She just knew that they beat him.

"They're going to take us to the South Pole." She says. "I don't know what they're going to do with me but I know that it's a great possibility of them killing you.

Zuko almost blanches. "It may not be that way, they may just try to use me as ransome."

She stares at him and feel a tad bad for him. Zuko obviously doesn't know a thing about these people. "I won't lie to you and tell you it may be like that. You're lucky that they didn't kill you on sight."

"How long before we get there?"

"Hahn said three days, but hopefully they won't chi block me again and I'll have my bending back before then. I'll try and get you out of here."

"What about you?" He leans forward. "What are you going to do?"

She drops her hands. "I don't know."

"Katara." Hahn calls down into the cells.

"I have to go." She takes a step back only to be pulled back by his strong arms. He hugs her tight through the bars and she doesn't move away from the warmth.

Stop.

She pulls away. "I'll... I'll try and come back tonight."

Zuko nods briefly and she walks swiftly back to Hahn, whose face is painted with a disapproving look.

"You're sleeping in Sokka's room until we get to the pole." Hahn states. "There aren't anymore available and I doubt that you want to room with Sangok. You're going to be in his care from now on."

"I can sleep out on deck or in the cells with Zuko. I don't need a baby sitter, I can watch myself."

"No you're not."

"You're not the commanding officer of me, I can do what I want." She exclaims.

"Not on my ship, Katara."

He stops at a door and knocks before going in, Katara follows behind him and looks around. There's a bunk bed on one side the room, and a table on the other side, nothing else. It's just a set of bunk beds with water tribe coverings. How decorative.

"I'll have your food sent in later on, that is unless you want to eat with the rest of your kinsmen like a real water tribe princess-"

"- I can take it in here."

Hahn says nothing when he leaves, he closes the door silently behind him. She waits until she's sure that Hahn is far away enough before she opens the door and steps into the hall. She knows that they are always prepared in case someone is chi blocked. So, there should be some reversing herbs somewhere on the ship, most likely in the infirmary. She can get the herbs and have her bending back in a matter of hours, then she and Zuko can escape.

Her and Zuko? She frowns. No, she'll leave Zuko here. She can't do that either.

"Hey, SugarQueen!" Someone calls out behind her. When she turns she sees a girl dressed in green and fellow. Her hair is inky and it's in a bun at the top of her head, adorned with a headband. "Where do you think you're gong?"

"Who are you supposed to be?" Katara turns to fully look at her. The girl doesn't look any older than twelve. and plus she's an earth bender, but she's blind. What's she doing on this ship? And why did she call her SugarQueen?

"I'm Toph BeiFong. You must be the chiefs daughter that everyone's been talking about." She walks up to Katara. "You don't scare me though. Snoozles and dopey are busy out on deck, so they sent me to keep an eye on you."

"Who are snoozles and dopey?"

"Dopey is Hahn and snoozles is your brother."

Katara places her hands on her hips puts her weight on one foot. Why would they send a blind child to keep watch on her, and what's with the nicknames?

"I don't need a baby sitter." Katara tells her. "Now where's the infirmary?"

"That's not what they said. And it's straight ahead, last door to the left. I guess I'll take you." Toph brushes The water bender and heads down the hall. How she knows where she's going Katara doesn't know. She follows behind her and they walk into the infirmary. Katara notices how Toph knows exactly where to go without touching anything. She must have been on the ship a while to be so familiar with it.

It's bare too, nothing but a and shelves and shelves of herbs in glasses. She quickly starts scanning the shelves for wolfssin. It's an herb that's used for reversing chi blocking. Its black and purple with neon blue specks and dark green stems and leaves. It's an extremely bitter plant that causes the user to not only regain their bending, but it causes their senses to become amplified a little too amplified and they'll be sleep almost immediately after drinking it.

"Just what are you looking for anyway?" Toph hoists herself up on the gurney and swings her legs.

"Winterbane, it's a healing herb and pain reducer. Plus it's great to help someone sleep."

"Sounds boring."

Katara doesn't look back at her. She finally finds what she's looking for and snatches it down off the shelf. "I found it."

"Good for you." Comes Toph's smart reply. Katara hurriedly opens the jar and takes out one large bundle of it, it's more than what she needs but that's fine. She places the jar back on the shelf and moves to the small table. She quickly places the herbs in a ceramic bowl and grinds them together with some water from the picture.

"So why'd you leave the South Pole?" Toph asks. "I left home because my parents thought that I was helpless and needy. They wouldn't let me do anything."

Katara takes her time answering her and finishes stirring her concoction. "It's complicated."

"Yeah, that's what Sokka said."

Katara rolls her eyes and drinks the mixture hurriedly without trying to taste it. The taste is so rancid. Wipes her mouth on her sleeve. "How'd you end up on a ship full of water tribesmen?"

"Sokka and Aang found me a few months back in the Earth Kingdom. I taught him how to master earth bending. Next thing you know I'm thrown on ships helping these guys, I didn't want to stay at the pole so I came with Sokka. Where are you going?"

Toph jumps down and follows her out of the infirmary.

"To sleep. I'm tired." This time Katara doesn't have to lie. That wolfssin doesn't wake any time to work. When she wakes up hopefully her bending will be back at it's full force. Hopefully she doesn't collapse.

"We'll have to lock you in the room. Sokka said it's for drastic precautions. I don't know why." Toph shrugs her shoulders. Katara doesn't even care to respond to her, she just walks into her temporary bedroom and lays her tired body on the bottom bunk. The last thing she hears is the locking of the door.

It's nighttime when she awakens again. Her limbs are so flexible and loose now. She smiles when she's able to pull water from the air and turn it to Ice on her fingertips. She melts it and tosses it to the side. Sure, she has her bending back but it's nowhere near strong enough to take on an entire ship of men. There's a tray of food on the table. It must've just gotten there because it's still steaming. Apparently someone had the courtesy to remember that she's allergic to fish. There's only a breadroll, meaty stew and a slab of meat on the plate. As she eats she wonders if Zuko is being fed. She sets her finished plate of food aside and goes to twist on the doorknob. He surprised to find that it's unlocked. She could've sworn Toph locked it behind her.

She goes straight down to the holding cells to Zuko. She has to tell him about what she's going to do. He's sitting in the corner of the cell when she makes it to him. When he stands and comes over to the bars she can faintly see his outline.

"I almost thought you'd left." He says lowly.

She shakes her head. "And leave you here to die? Everyone deserves a fighting chance, even you. Did they xome down here?"

"The one they call Hahn did, he tried to get information out of me."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him nothing." He states dryly. "Even if I expose all of the Fire Nstion's secrets and defenses they'll still kill me."

"We're leaving later on. I'm getting you out if here and we're leaving."she whispers lowly enough for only him to hear. "it'll be late, you should try and get some sleep."

"But how? They took your bending, plus we're in the middle of the ocean. You know long it'll take to get to land?"

"You're not the one doing the work." She says dryly. "I have to go." Again, he reaches through the bars and hugs her tight. Why? She doesn't know.

No, she knows.

She just wishes that she didn't.

When she's out at the bow of the ship she expects to be in a peaceful environment. The only company that she wants is the clouded crescent moon and the gentle splashing waves. No ones there but her, but she knows they're watching. Plus she has her bending back she can leave at anytime, they can't stop her. She's been trained further than them, she's been trained in things that make up their worst nightmares. She doesn't turn around when she senses someone approach her from behind.

"Katara." Sokka calls to her. She turns around, hoping that her expression is enough to make him go away. He doesn't, instead he steps closer. "Look, I know you don't want to be here."

"Is it that obvious? Have you not gotten brighter over these four years?"

He stares at her a minute before speaking. "You haven't seen me in that long, minus that time that you attacked my ship, and you have nothing pleasant to say? Your mouth and that wild mind frame are the main reasons that you're in this now Katara!"

"I'll never have anything pleasant to say to you!" She spits at him. "I shouldn't even be talking to you!"

He sighs at her and grits his jaw. Looking at Sokka now, it's like looking at her father. "I can understand you're still sore about the way things happened-"

"-Sore? You think I'm sore? You're the reason that I got banished anyway! It was you, you turned your back on me when I needed you the most!"

"It had to be done, you were out of control! You wouldn't listen and you constantly defied the elders orders!" He retorts back at her. His voice has gotten deeper and stronger, just like a chiefs sons voice should be. His cobalt eyes dart behind her at the thrashing waves that are caused by her angry movements but he doesn't budge, it isn't her water bending that worries him. Now he knows that she has her bending back, she doesn't care.

"Like now, your a water tribe woman and your running the world with the Fire Lord's son! That's treason if you didn't know, your betraying your own flesh and blood for him?" His eyebrows come in and he frowns at her.

"Unlike you, and unlike that man that's supposed to be my father he hasn't done anything against me." She says. "He didn't agree with everyone else and cast the last vote to have me banished to a dark and lonely prison. He didn't organize the idea with Bato and the Elite Team to take me down when I was least expecting it. He didn't frown up at me when he found out I was a blood bender." She steps up to him.

Sokka's fist clench. "You were a threat to everyone around you-"

"- it was because I was stronger than everyone else around me."

"That shit you call a gift is wrong, it's nothing right about it Katara!" He argues. "Nothing!"

"Just like there's nothing right about leaving your sister -_your only sister_- in an Icy tundra to die! There's nothing right about anything what you did to me, nothing!" She shouts at him.

"So killing off the elders was right after you broke out of prison? Attacking your own kinsmen, your own brother and father! You raised weapons against them! I told them that you should've stayed in the temple!" His expression is calm but his eyes show anger, confusion, a bit of hurt and some sadness. "Katara, he wants you back home. Everyone wants you back." Now his tone is soft like he's speaking into the wind.

"You're lucky that that's all I did!" The memories come flooding back to her memory but she won't let it interfere with this moment. "There's no reason for me to go back there, there's nothing for me there!"

She brushes past him to leave. He spins and grabs her arm to stop her from leaving. As soon as his skin makes contact with hers she gets a flash of white, and she doesn't know how long she's spaced out for. She can see Sokka's worried expression and he's telling her something but she can't hear what he's saying. She can see him with her eyes but in her mind she's seeing an entirely different vision, then it leaves and snaps her back to reality. She drops to her knees coughing dryly and clutching her aching head.

"Are you alright? Somebody, get me a healer over here! Katara, Katara!" He stoops down on one knee and worriedly examines her, his hands gently clutch her shoulders.

She looks up at him with big eyes, still not believing what she saw. She jerks harshly out of her grasp and dashes back into the ship.

**.0.**

**So, what do you think?**

**Read and Review**


	10. Chapter 10

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full summary: n epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Ten**

"I've already told you that I was born at the worst time, in the dead of winter. I was sick baby, they didn't know what was wrong. I couldn't eat, I barely slept and I cried all the time. One day Turok, the head village elder, he came to my mother and father and suggested that they let give me up as a sacrifice to the Gods and put me out of my misery. My father..." She bites her lip and closes her eyes. "He wanted to go along with it but my mother refused, she bolted herself in the temple all day everyday with me and prayed and prayed for me to get better. It actually worked, after nine days I was healthy as ever. It was like nothing was ever wrong with me.

"Then when the village priest came he discovered that I was the oracle of the Southern Tribe. I was in the temple training by the time I was four. But even before that they knew for a fact I had the sight my mother always knew. I would see things, some good things and some terrible things but at that time I didn't know what it was. The vision I had before we met Jet, it was the terrible one I couldn't ever speak about. I saw my mother get killed by a Southern Raider, I saw many women and children getting snatched up and killed. I never told anyone what I saw and I regret it to this day. I was seven when she died and Sokka was nine. Such a age for that.

"Sokka was and probably still is the best water bender in the entire village. Even though I despise his very existence I still have to admit that he's the strongest and most dedicated warrior I've ever seen. Back then we were close, he was my best friend. I couldn't go a day without talking to Sokka no matter how mad I was at him. I know he betrayed me but I wasn't too honest with him either. When I was discovered to be a water bender I was instantly taken out of the temple and trained from sun up to sundown everyday. The masters didn't take it easy on me because I was a child, nor did they because I'm a female.

"My father was proud, another weapon to defeat the Fire Nation. Then Hama came from the north and she taught me how to blood bend. At first I was disgusted, just like everyone else was. But then the idea of having so much power over someone else gave me excitement. I could make them do whatever I wanted them to do. I became a master, well, and advanced bender in Hamas eyes. My brother looked at me like I was a monster. He is against blood bending, he refused to learn it. My father turned his back on me. Almost everyone did. When me and Sokka went out to hunt, a blizzard came and I was in the middle of fighting off a vision. Sokka saw me, he knew I was in trouble but he left me out there to die. I called for him and called for him but he turned his back and left me.

"When I returned a few hours later I attacked him." She states grimly. "I blood bent him. I blood bent my father for trying to stop me and I blood bent Hama. I was so mad, I was fed up with everything and everybody. The way they treated me, the way they looked at me. It was like I was some type of disfigured monster. I attacked them, I attacked them who went against me. Aang stopped me, he calmed me down. Me and him went away to the penguin holes after that, but I knew we couldn't stay gone forever. When we returned they had already held a meeting. Everyone including my father and even my grandmother and uncle voted to have me banished to the ice tundra prison."

He swallows, a faint sweat on his forehead. "For how long?"

"Four years. Fourteen, young and broken and confused I was banished from my home by the people that I'm supposed to love. Disowned by my father, labeled a threat and a monster by my own flesh and blood. I was chained and my mouth was covered shut. I never say daytime for four months, I was locked in compete solitude alone with my own thoughts for four months. Four months of non bending, four months of darkness and depression and anger. The only reason I escaped from prison was because someone broke me out. They gave me a fighting chance, that's all I need.

"Before I left to start over somewhere else I went back to the South Pole. I killed off the five elders of the village, I didn't feel bad about it. When I was fifteen I found the Southern Raider crew. I tracked down and I killed Yon Rha, that was who killed my mother in front of me. A little while later I met Jet, washed up on shore by his base and traveled with him for a while before i formed my own special team, a team of savagely skilled benders with a grudge against the Fire Nation. We are not affiliated with the tribes, or anyone else. we don't help them.

"After four years of causing havoc on the Fire Nation I finally ran into my brother in the east. I didn't want to talk to him, I didn't want to hear anything that he had to say. As soon as I caught sight of him I tried to bring him down." She straightens up against the wall. "We were too evenly matched back then, but that was back then. I've gotten stronger and I've learned more. I was good, But when I was seventeen I was stupid and slipped up, I found myself in the bowels of a Fire Nation ship being traded."

He frowns. "Traded?"

"Traded amongst the crew members. There was nothing that I could do; no bending, no energy, no nothing. But when I did get my bending back, I trained and I trained and I trained. I learned how to blood bend with my mind."

His eyes widen and his breathing hitches. She's silent after that and Zuko is silent as well. She can't tell him just what her rebellions name is, if she tells him she risks the fall of it. That's something she won't do, it took too long to put that together. If anyone knew that she's the leader, all hell would break lose. Right now they are all separated at the four corners of the world, yet these criminals, including Katara possess immense power. If all of them come together and fight as one again they can dominate the entire world.

"Katara, there's..." He takes a shuddering breath. "I'm sure that some of those things that your father and brother did, they probably had good reason."

"Don't say that."

"They still love you, I heard how worried Sokka was when you blanked out. He was shouting and-"

She stands abruptly and turns her back to him. "We're leaving now. If you want to stay here and face certain death then be my guest."

"I could try and talk to the chiefs. They've never had a spokesman from the Fire Nation before." He explains as he stands and rubs his now free wrists. "Maybe I can set up a deal or something."

"They want you dead. Hahn received a word that your father thinks you're dead!" She swirls around on him. "The entire Fire Nation thinks that you're dead and they think I killed you. Azula is next in line to take the throne, your uncle is alive and is traveling with the White Lotus. Lu Ten has gone missing."

Zuko's eyebrows crease in confusion. He's fighting with himself on the inside. He's quiet for a long time. "Since they think I'm dead..."

"Yes, and so what are you saying?"

"Then thats bad, Katara. There's no way that Azula can take the throne, it'll be worse than my father. I have to get back to the Fire Nation, there's no telling what Azula is planning." His jaw clenches. "But where is Lu Ten?"

"That they don't know. It's like he just disappeared into thin air." Katara says curtly. "If you want to make it to the Fire Nation you should leave now." She takes his hand and leads him toward the stairs. "Come on, we can leave together."

He stops. She looks back at him with questioning eyes. Zuko drops her hand and returns it back to his side. "No, we're not going."

"What do you mean we aren't going?" She questions. "Are you insane? They'll kill you!"

"Your father wants you back at the pole, most likely he wants you to return home Katara." He places a hand on her shoulder. "While they want to talk you should hear what they have to say."

"No." She shrugs his hand off her shoulder. "I'm not going back there. Don't you realize that they'll kill you probably on sight?"

"They won't because you'll stop them. They'll interrogate me and probably even torture me too but they may listen to you."

"They won't listen to me! They hate me!"

"They don't hate you. If they didn't love you they wouldn't be trying so hard to get you back to them. Sokka probably won't let anything happen to you. He got scared out there Katara. I heard it in his voice."

"We don't have to stay, just see what they want. If it gets hectic then you can bend us out of there." He says. There's something hidden in his voice, something that she can't decipher. He golden eyes gleam in the low light and she finds them hypnotizing.

She catches herself.

"Why should you come?"

"I have no choice Katara. Either we both leave, which I don't want or-"

"Why don't you want To leave?"

"Because you have to face this. If you leave on your own, and you leave me here with them, that's when I'll face certain death. If we both leave together it'll be worse on us. We're almost there..we just have a couple of hours before we pull up to the south." His hand moves up to cup her neck. "If I didn't know any better id say that you didn't want to leave me."

She pulls away again, Zuko's right. She doesn't, she doesn't want to leave him. She especially doesn't want to leave him to them. As long as she stays with him he's safe, more safe than he would be if she left. They have to stay together.

"It'll be alright." He pulls her into his warmth. "It'll be alright." He repeats and strokes her loose hair.

This time she let's him comfort her and she doesn't pull away.

**.0.**

She is chained with her hands completely covered in metal. Her mouth and nose are covered by a dark blue cloth. There's a warrior on her left and right, they hold the chains that are connected to her wrists tightly. There are two more ahead of her and four more behind her. Toph is up front behind Sokka, he holds her hand. It's typical precaution, that's what Hahn said. Sokka, Hahn and Sangok lead the small group up to the Chiefs center. Behind her Zuko is chained more than she is, they pull him by the chains around his ankles and wrists. The South Pole has changed greatly, there are statues out around of the forefathers. More shops and stores and homes have been built. The new homes have been made of wood and stone, they're way more modernized. The people stare and wonder who've been bought to their homes in bound in chains, they even follow to observe.

It's a large mass of dark hair, blue/grey eyes and tanned skin. Katara looks at them in mock disdain. She knows she's wrong, those people haven't done anything to her but still. She's more worried about Zuko, he doesn't have his bending. He can't protect hisself. They come to a halt, Katara is moved to the front. Up ahead there is one large seat in the middle of somewhat of a stage made of ice with intricate carvings on the front. There are three smaller chairs in both sides of the large one, she finds it strange that no ones in them.

Then, three men come from the western side of the village and stand in front of the stage. They are accompanied by a woman who Katara realizes is Yue, the princess of the Northern Tribe. She stands on the side in the crowd and keeps her head up high. She recognizes one of the men as Arnook, the chief. He's Yue's father. The man next to him Is Bato, her uncle. The man in the middle looks at her intently with his blue piercing eyes.

He, out of all the men she's seen, has way more warrior beads laced in his hair. He holds up a spear in one hand and he examines the warriors faces with a hard stare. He looked away from her so easily, she thinks that he doesn't remember her. That's good. Sokka steps forward and bows water tribe style with his fist pounded over his heart. When he rises from his bow he turns to face them.

"Father, chief Arnook, I present to you Katara, The Lost Princess of the Southern Tribe!" He bellows. Gasps and cries break out around the mass of people, some even cheer. Katara is led up to the front further until she is a few feet away from Hakoda. Arnook and Bato step back and to the side, their eyes hold wonder and curiosity. Her uncle Bato looks almost happy to see her. That's kind of funny considering that he played a part in her banishment. She's tugged down to her knees. The form fitting black tunic that she's wearing isn't doing much to keep the cold out but she can manage. She keeps her eyes on the snow that she hasn't seen in years, she doesn't want to look at Hakoda.

He approaches her, his heartbeat is strong and loud in her ears. It beats a quick rhythm, is he afraid? Is he nervous? His boots stop a little bit in front of her. A big tanned hand gently grasps her chin as he crouches and he and makes her look up at him. She tries to pull away but that doesn't work. Her arms are stretched out at her sides, there's nothing she can really do. He examines her, just as she looks over his face. He hasn't changed much over the years, he still looks youthful. She hopes that her eyes show just how she's feeling.

"You look just like your mother." He says in a murmur. He releases her but his touch still lingers. His cobalt blue eyes are kind and warm, Sokka stands a yard away and watches on with what appears to be hope. "I'm sure you're wondering why you're here Katara."

"I'd just love to know."

"As sarcastic as ever. I, am sorry for not being the father that I used to be. we, want you home."

An apology? This makes her own heart skip beats. She'd never thought she'd hear that. "Because?"

"Your banishment has been completed Katara. Have you lost count?" He stands and orders the men to release her chains, but the manacles remain around her wrists. Her eyes widen in realization, her banishment has ended? She forgot, she completely forgot that it was four years.

She stands and looks back at Zuko, he looks at her with approval. This is it, if she were a normal person she would take this opportunity to return to her home, but Katara isn't normal and she doesn't believe that they want her back this easily.

"Your oracle training will commence immediately and you will report to the temple, the sages are waiting." Hakoda states.

_Wait._

She looks up at him, his expression is warm but it's torn. She looks at Bato, he looks sorrowful while Arnook is stone faced. Sokka stares at her intently while Sangok and Hahn hold conversations of their own. She notices the affectionate look that Yue and Sokka briefly exchange.

"Afterwards you are to report to the main hall for The Session." Hakoda states. "Get her clothing and bedding ready!" She calls out to the women in the village, they scamper at his command.

Then that's when she realizes, she realizes everything. Her breathing quickens and her fists clench as there's a tightening in her chest. Hakoda pulls her into tight hug, it's the type of hug only a father can provide to his daughter. She freezes at the contact but she relaxes.

"My daughter, my daughter." He says into beg hair. "How I've missed you."

She closes her eyes when she realizes that he isn't lying, but her breathing and erratic heart rate doesn't stop.

"Katara!" A disembodied voice calls from behind her. She looks to see Aang flying on his glider, MoMo tails him. He drops down and runs into her, knocking her back a few steps. He's a flash of orange and blue, his eyes are bright and welcoming, full of happiness and love. She can't return his embrace, she just can't. Her mind is too much in fiddles and fuzz. Aang is her best friend, so many secrets between the two. But she can't with him, not now.

"Katara, you're back!" Aang hugs her again. He pulls back with a worried expression on her face, he frowns. "Katara, what's wrong? You're shaking. What's wrong?" Yue comes over with a smile on her face, but it instantly fades.

"Chief Hakoda, we have also captured the Fire Nation prince!" Hahn announces. The crowd sounds again, they're angry this time. Hakoda turns and eyes Zuko. His eyes turn cold and hard.

"Kill him." He states with no emotion. The two warriors at his side pulls out their swords and Zuko is pushed on his knees to be beheaded. Some of the crowd cheers.

Katara's eyes widen. "What? No! You can't!"

"I can and I will! That's Ozai's son, he's a threat just like his father is." Comes Hakoda's steel reply. "Sangok, please escort my daughter to the temple."

_My daughter._

"We've already been over this Katara, the entire line has to be destroyed. It's the only way!" Sokka comes up besides Hakoda. Aang frowns at what she thinks is Hakoda's decision. Sangok tries to take Katara's arm but she yanks away.

"You can't kill him!" Katara argues. "He did nothing to you!"

"Stop this Katara, let's go." Sangok tries again and she smacks his hand away.

"You don't ever touch me!" She tells him coldly. He squares his jaw at her and takes a step back. "You touch me again and I'll-"

"-Katara, stop." Aang pleads. "Don't do anything rash."

Her father wants her back at the pole, but he's thrust that oracle training on her already. That's only telling her that they don't want her back because they miss her, it's because they need their oracle back. But her fathers eyes show kindness and warmth she love, what's going on here? She bites her lip.

_They need their oracle back._

_They don't miss her._

"Leave her alone Sangok!" Aang says strongly. "I have to agree with Katara, I don't think that we should kill him."

"The avatar has no say in this whatsoever!" Hahn steps forward only to be held back by Sokka's strong arm in front of his chest.

"The North has no say in this whatsoever." Sokka corrects him with authority in his voice. "He was found by southerners. He's on southern ground. Dad, now that i think about it I don't think of it to be wise to kill the prince."

"What reasons support your opinion Sokka?" Bato asks. His voice is loud and clear. Katara looks at Sokka, he's looking back at her. She looks back at Zuko.

"Lower your weapons!" Katara tells the warriors at Zuko's neck. He raises his head to her, his eyes are hooded by his lashes. The swords don't move. She turns back to Hakoda."Tell them to lower their arms!"

Hakoda declines.

Sokka speaks up before him "If we kill him then we kill the only upper hand that we may ever get on the Fire Nation. He is, after all, the Fire Lord's son. Now, they think he's dead-"

"-He is dead! Why are you two trying to save his life?" Sangok demands. "Isn't it enough she's already warmed his bed-"

"You watch your mouth Sangok, I'm telling you." Sokka warns with dark eyes. Aang moves back besides Zuko and asks him something that she can't hear. Zuko only nods in return. Se glares at Sangok and feels the itching in her veins to bend the life out of him.

"He's Fire Nation!"

"We know that already."

"I have to agree with Sokka. Hakoda, please reconsider." Bato says.

Hakoda thinks for a minute. He looks between Zuko to Aang back to Sokka and Katara. "Fine, Bato, take him under your charge. Katara, Sokka will escort you to the temple. Release the prince!" He orders. A relieved breath escapes her mouth and Katara moves to help Zuko stand up. He's cold, that's not good for a fire bender. He can really freeze to death.

Sangok looks on in disgust and anger with shaking fists and glaring eyes. "As you should already know Katara, Sokka isn't a man of his word, he's only saying to keep him alive so that he can kill him as soon as you turn your back. He's the main one who wanted you back, not because they miss you but because they want their oracle to tell them about the Day of Black Sun and the comet."

"Sangok!" Arnook roars. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

Hahn rushes over and tries to take Sangok away. Sangok pushes him back. A team rushes over to Sangok and hold him down.

"Why do you think Hakoda thrust that training on you so quickly?" He grunts as he's apprehended by a group of gruff men and dragged away. "It's your power they want, they don't want you!"

The words sting.

"Take him to the dungeons! I don't want him to see daylight-" Sokka barks out orders and the rest of them go deaf in her ears. What's even more Puzzling is that she can't tell if he's lying it not. She never could, his heartbeat is so complex.

"Katara." Aang looks up at her sadly. "It's not true, they didn't-"

"-is that why I'm here?" She matches back up to them. Her feet make a crater in the snow with every step. The miniature craters split and crack as she goes. "Tell me!"

Sokka doesn't look her way, he completely ignores her. He can't even face her. How stupid she was to actually even think to believe them.

Hakoda turns away. "We'll discuss this later after-"

"-No, there's not going to be a later!" She shouts at them. Instead of losing the little bit of control she does have, instead of lashing out on all of them she only relaxes. "I have no reason to be here, I'm not, _we're_ not going to stay here."

"You can't leave Katara." Hakoda bellows over the wind. When she doesn't answer he only exhales in exasperation.

"If you take another step, we will kill the prince!" Aang is pushes out of the way as Zuko is bought back down into the snow.

After seeing this and after only one second of thinking Katara yanks Yue back by her hands and locks them together tightly. She quickly forms a long sharp ice dagger and presses it to her throat."If you so much as breathe around him wrong, I'll gut her like a fish." She states coldly as she presses the dagger firmer into the other woman's neck. There are gasps and sounds of alarm around the crowd.

A league of warriors all dressed in dark blue surrounds her in a circle. She can see that Arnook is enraged and Sokka has pushed his way in front of the other warriors. His eyes are wild and angry at her, he takes off his heavy parka and approaches slowly. She's really made her bed now, she's taken the princess of the Northern Tribe hostage! And it's for Zuko, for his safety.

"Let her go, and then we can talk Katara." Sokka says carefully. "I'll tell you everything, I swear. Come on, you don't want to do this. We won't touch him, just let her go."

He must feel something for Yue, something big. She's never seen him like this over a female.

"Let Zuko go." She orders.

"Alright, we'll let him go. Aang?" Sokka motions for Aang to take Zuko away. She can trust Aang, she knows she can. Yue's breathing has quickened and she's tensed.

"Katara, don't do this." She half pleads. "You're my sister for spirits sake!"

"I'm not going to do you anything, I'm appalled for you to think that. But have no problem with you." Katara tells her lowly. "You tell me a lie and I will have a problem with you. What's real Yue?"

She swallows can't tell a lie, and Katara feels bad about what she's doing. Her and Yue were so close before she left, Yue was the sister that she never had, the sister that she still wants. "It wasn't Sokka or Hakoda, it was the sages. Sokka... He agreed to it because he knew they needed you to get those visions. That's why you were made to come back, Sokka and the sages, but Sokka didn't-"

_They're only using her._

She shoves Yue away into the crowd before she can even finish, she's heard enough. In the same second she spins with a speed she hadn't used in a long time and a ring of snow pushes them all back, all of them except for Sokka who pulls up an ice shield just in time. She raises blocks of ice from the earth and shoot them his way as soon as he lowers it. With ease he evaporates them into a torrent of freezing water, swirling it around in his hands he sends it crashing back at her.

Then a true battle breaks out.

**.0.**

**Oh wow. Don't worry, things will have to get worse before they get better. :) anyways**

**Read and review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Story Title:** Caged Birds

**Author**: XxToToXx

**Full summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Eleven**

Sokka has gotten stronger but he's holding back on her, he isn't giving her his all like she wants him to. The other water benders, they try to stop her but she's on a higher level than them. She fights harder than them, she has reasons to win this fight, she has things to settle just like she has things to prove. They tricked her. She was stupid to even think they had any type of warmth in their hearts for her. She isn't tired yet, she's got adrenaline pumping through her body and a will that can't be broken.

All her anger and frustration is released through her vicious bending, damaging buildings and statues. Sokka has now ordered them to stop attacking her, she doesn't know why but he did. Hakoda and Arnook look on, their expressions unreadable. Aang has taken Zuko away somewhere, she would be worried But Zuko doesn't have any bending so he can't harm him. Hama, where is Hama? That's something that she has to worry about. She jolts out of the way just in time from an amateur ice dagger and forms two ice tipped water whips in her hand. They're sharp, she lashes them both out at him wildly with precision. He shields it with an ice wall and shatters it with his fist when when her whips retract. The ice shards go flying her way, she catches them and sends them hurdling back at him. He dodges and charges towards her with his feet encased in ice, helping him glide across the snow with incredible speed.

She lifts her hands high and in sharp movements to try and knock him off his course but he evades her every time.

"I don't want to fight you Katara!" He shouts when he lands a few feet away from her. "I never wanted to fight you!" He doesn't let his guard down though, and Katara doesn't believe him. She stomps her foot and creates a split in the ice that rubs straight at him, he jumps to the side just in time. He attacks don't stop, he'll get tired eventually. But the look of determination and reason in his eyes say otherwise. She melts the water and spins quickly before she shoots it at him. It knocks him back into a wall, causing cracks in the surface. She throws more water at him, pushing him back into the wall more.

"Katara stop!"

The snow rises to the air with her arms and the snow forms into long daggers with sharp ends. Sokka, still recovering from the water blasts, pulls himself from the wall.

"Don't do it Katara!"

The daggers raise and aim at it's target. She moves her hands back, readying herself to push them forward...

She pushes, the daggers take off but then she freezes. Her veins harden and she's being forced to the ground. Her whole body shakes and it's a struggle for her to breathe. There's a tightening in her heart and she can feel her entire body hardening.

Hama.

No, she painstakingly raises her head, it isn't Hama. It's Sokka. It's Sokka.

Sokka is blood bending her. But how? Those years ago he didn't even want to know how to do it, now he's bending her down to her hands and knees. Her teeth grit together and she tries to rise, she raises one quivering leg up and that's about all she can do right now. Her lungs begin to tighten and she knows she'll black out any minute now. Someone comes behind her and yanks her hands behind her back to chain them, the pain is excruciating. She curses them whoever they are, now her chi isn't circulating correctly.

Sokka releases his hold on her and approaches her. She drops limply but the people holding her up support her. Sokka's face is full of regret, sadness and slight disgust. She tries to lunge out him but her body is too weak. She hangs panting in the men's arms, hair falling over her face. Two water coated hands grip the side of her head. The last thing she sees before she's forced to black out is Sokka's worried expression.

The strong smell of eucalyptus wakes her up. She's chained, hands and feet in what looks to be a living room. Hama stands on front of her, Sokka is in a chair in the corner looking anxious.

"So many years." Hama tisks and shakes her head. She sits the bowl own on a nearby table and returns back to Katara with an unreadable expression. This was once her mentor, a person who she looked up to the most. Not anymore, all that changed. The last time Katara saw Hama Katara blood bended her. She blood bended a master blood bender, she should feel good but she doesn't.

Hama says something in a hushed voice to Sokka and then leaves out of the room. Sokka stands and slowly walks over to her. He sits, much to her discomfort, right next to her on a cushioned bench.

"That blizzard your were talking about on ship, at first I couldn't remember what you were talking about. I think that's a part I blocked out, but I remember it now. You were wrong Katara, I didn't leave you out there."

"Your lying is adorable." She rolls her eyes to the top of her head.

"I'm not lying Katara! Can you at least try to be serious here?"

"No."

"Alright, look. Remember back, as far as you can. Remember it was me, you and Sangok? I went off behind a pack of boar. We got separated and then that bad blizzard came. I looked for you, I kept calling you but I never got an answer. I couldn't even find Sangok."

She mentally freezes.

"Back then I didn't wear my hair like that, I always wore it shaved on the sides with my wolfstail. Remember?"

"And your point is?"

"It wasn't me! Sangok left you out there, not me. When I couldn't find either of you I returned to the village and told dad what happened. Then Sangok came and he said that he couldn't find you either."

Sokka has a point. Her mind strains to remember the events of that day. The was a third person there, she struggles to match a face on them.

Sokka leans back against the wall. "Sangok later confessed that it was him who last saw You down in the tundras. He said that he couldn't reach you because of the snow."

"He couldn't reach me?" Her blue eyes narrow and her mouth forms into a thin line. It's true, it was Sangok. She remembers his unique waterskin, The one that's orange striped and is in the shape of a half moon.

"That's what he told us, you never came back until later on." He pauses then starts talking again. "It was the Water Sages who proposed the plan to bring you back to the tribe, mostly because you're the oracle. I was against it, they just wanted to use you. I wanted you, me and dad-"

"-You cast the last vote to have me banished. You orchestrated the tactics to take me down."

He stands angrily. "They made me do it! They told me I had to, besides it was majority rule. I was the chief in training Katara. And I hated everything about having to do that! I didn't want you to leave, I didn't want them to put you in that prison! I tried to go and get you out but you were already gone when I got there."

"I was."

"Who let you out Katara?" He asks her. "What happened to you?"

"Someone helped me out of there."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you that, if I tell they'll kill them."

"You don't know that. The thing is Katara, you're a blood bender. I didn't like the whole blood bending thing, I thought that it's a terrible thing to do to a person."

"But you blood bended me earlier."

"That was different and I hated that." He exhales. "You're my little sister, I love you. You being able to do that so well, that won't change the fact that you're my sister. I don't hate you, I don't hate anyone."

"That's what your mouth says."

"That's what my heart and mind says. I mean it."

She turns her head away and bites on the inside of her lip. She doesn't want to hear this. Not now, she can't deal. "Go away."

"What? No!" He says deeply. "I'm not leaving you. Did you know how sick dad was when you left, you know how much Aang missed you? Do you know how badly I wanted to go after you?"

"But you didn't!"

"Yes I did!" He shouts back, his voice is still a little squeaky. "I found you but you attacked me! You nearly killed me and the rest of the crew when all I wanted was to talk you!"

"If you didn't want me to leave then I shouldn't have been banished."

His face softens and now he looks like the younger Sokka that she was once best friends with. "You killed the elders Katara. When you left you killed them. They wanted to go after you and serve justice."

The memory comes back quickly to her mind. She can't bring herself to feel sorry for what she did. She doesn't know why.

"You're my sister, I didn't like the blood bending. It was only the blood bending. I never stopped loving and caring about you. I've learned that blood bending is just another form of bending. It still makes my skin crawl, it's really gross." He shrugs a shoulder.

"Is that all? I'd like to sulk in peace."

"No, that's not all." He sticks his chest out. "I've been wanting to tell you this." Sokka gets down on one knee to meet her level.

"Oh, you're down on one knee. Are you in love with me?"

"Will you cut it out already?" He snaps. He sighs to collect himself and let's out a breath. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything, everything that I did or said that hurt you I'm sorry. It's been hell here without you-"

"-Good."

"Katara! Why are you so cynical? I'm trying to fix things here and be honest with you. Mom always said-"

"-Now here you go playing the mom card." She narrows her eyes at him. "What's that supposed to do?"

"She said that we're supposed to stick together, we're all that we have in this world. Remember that?"

She remains silent. Kya always told them

To stick together and look out for each other. Katara didn't have an issue with that back then, she looked up to her older brother. They were inseparable until he got older. He would always beat up the other kids when they tried to bully her and send them back home crying to their mothers. There's a wave of some unknown feeling washes over her chest. Is it nostalgia? She looks at him and he's still down one knee, eyes full of apology, pain and seriousness. It makes her feel bad about it. It makes her feel bad about everything.

"I remember." She speaks lowly.

"I'm sorry... For everything. I mean that 'Tara. My biggest mistake was putting everything else before my sister, the chiefs training... All of it. The Sages aren't… you know?"

"How can I forget? Let me out of these chains." She shakes her arms up and down and it causes the chains to rattle and shake. "I won't kill anyone if that's what you're thinking."

Sokka grind crookedly at her. "I know you won't. Well, I know you can't. We gave you some chi blocking pills and they can't be reversed by any herbs. Before you get upset, your bending isn't taken away for good. It'll come back in a few days-"

"-A few days? What the fuck is wrong with you?" She shouts as she fights to free herself from the chains. "What am I supposed to do with my bending for days Sokka? Huh? That's real fucked up, you really messed it up this time!"

What's she going to do without her bending? Her bending is her life! She can't go a day without her bending, she doesn't know what she's going to do.

His eyebrows raise. "You sound like you've spent some time around pirates."

"I did."

"I'll unchain your legs, but I won't do your wrists, you know why."

"Exactly." She watches as Sokka unwraps the the right chains from around her legs. "I hope you don't think this makes us best buddies because I'm talking to you." She stands and he takes a few steps back.

"But you're talking to me with some sense now. You haven't tried to jump kick me or anything, or rush me and beat me with your chained fists."

"It's not like I haven't thought about it." She breathes. "You shouldn't be being nice to me anyway."

Sokka cocks his head. "Why not? You're still my little sister. I'm not going to be cruel to you and be mean, I've never done that."

"Once you find out what I did I'm sure you'll hate me just like the rest." She walks to the window and looks outside. The skies have turned orange and pink; it's beautiful.

"…What?" His brows furrows. "What did you do."

"You know, I never was one for sentimental confrontations. But years ago when I was smaller I had a vision, it came to me in the middle of the night. Remember when I woke up screaming and mom took me out to the glaciers?"

"Yes, though that was plenty of times."

"This was the time when I didn't speak for five days."

"Oh." He looks away at first then kicks at the ground. "What did you see?"

Her eyes shut tight. How can she tell him? She knows that deep down inside she still cares about her brother and she loves him deeply. She wishes it could go back to the way it was- back before he became a certified warrior, back before she was introduced to blood bending. She wishes she could go back to when they didn't know what war was, back when they were children but she knows that that can't happen. They're doomed, they're all doomed.

"I saw the attack on the village. I saw the Southern Raiders drag our mother out of the house and set her on fire." She turns to him, his face is twisted in sadness and despair. "That night on the ship when I blacked out it was because I had another one, I saw it as soon as you touched me-"

"-You knew she was going to get killed and you didn't say anything? Katara!" He shouts at her. A wooden chair is thrown across the room along with a table along with a vase and table. "How could do that Katara? How could you huh?" He grabs her shoulders and shakes her with every word. He's angry, more angrier than she's ever seen him and he has every right to be.

"What did you expect me to do?" She manages to push him off. "I thought it was a dream! At that age how was I supposed to know that it would come true?"

"You still could've said something Katara you didn't have to hide it!"

"How could I tell anyone else something like that? I couldn't tell it to anyone!"

"You know how many lives were lost that day? All of this could've been prevented! You're the oracle-"

"-The oracle!" She shoves him back a couple of steps. "The blood bending oracle, thats all I am to anybody isn't it?"

"No. You're more than that Katara."

"Oh really? So you all just missed me out the blue, Is that why you bought me back here?"

"I saw an opportunity to bring you back home and I took it! You're my sister and I love you whether you like it or not! This shit wasn't my idea Katara, I don't care that you're an oracle. I don't care that you're a blood bender. All I care about is you!"

"Right." She states cynically. "You've really showed me how much you cared."

"Why do you think that I'm trying to hurt you?" He asks softly. "You go out there and now you've came back you're not the Katara I know. I know I've did and said some messed up things but that's not who I am today, my sister is more important than a group of old crows."

"No new elders were instated?"

"None. The only advisors are the sages, who might I add, are waiting to see you." He shrugs a shoulder. "We can stay here and argue back and forth all day or we can go and see what they want. If it's not something you're down with you can just leave. I don't want you to though, I want you to stay."

"After I fought you? After I killed all those people? You can't erase that Sokka they're probably still trying to hold that over my head."

"But you bought back the prince of the Fire Nation. All you have to do is tell that you bought him here for redemption-"

"-I'm not fabricating that. You want me to turn him over and let him get killed while I get off Scott free for murder."

"Why are you so bent on saving this guys life Katara?" He throws his hands up. "What has he done to you? What has he told you?"

"Nothing! I'm just saying, you can let him go!"

"Are you crazy? He's Ozai's son but he won't speak on anything. It's best to kill him Katara."

"I can get him to talk. Take me to him."

"And you think he's just going to spill his guts, just like that? You think it's just that simple?"

"I know it's not but at least I can get him to understand, just like I'm trying to get you to understand. Sokka…" she closes her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I attacked you, I'm sorry I blood bent you and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about what I saw. I'm sorry."

There. She's sick and tired of going back and forth with him. This isn't what she wants, that isn't what Sokka wants, their mothers probably turning over in her grace right about now. She doesn't know what's come over her, she doesn't know why she's so willing to do this but that's what she's going to do. Sokka isn't her enemy, he's her brother. They aren't getting anywhere like this anyway, at her words Sokka's face softens.

"I'm sorry too, I know I hurt you a lot. I just wish I could rewind time you know?"

"Yeah. I guess, time is what it'll take. But I'm still not staying here. I can't, I'll see what the Sages want me to do. I'll hear what they have to say and if I don't like it I'll leave."

Sokka isn't satisfied with her statement but he nods his head anyway about she knows that this isn't the end.

"So, just out of curiosity, it's something that's been on my mind for a while." Sokka asks as they walk to the ice chambers. "I won't tell, i swear."

"What?"

"Just who let you out of the cell?"

Katara sticks her hands into her pockets. "It was Aang."

**.0.**

"Hey." Zuko breaths when she enters the corridor of the cell where he's being held. There's frost coming from his mouth and nose, she can tell he's doing his best to stay warm. Fire benders don't fair well in places like these. She feels sorry for him.

"How are… how are you holding up?" She sits cross legged in front of the cell.

"Im fine, I've seen worse."

"Zuko, why won't you tell them anything?" She asks. "Some of them want to kill you while the rest want to probe you for information."

"Either way they'll want to kill me."

"I won't let them kill you. I can work on getting you out of here. Just tell me something, anything. I can work with them because obviously they need me Zuko."

"Katara…" He groans with a sigh and runs his hands through his hair.

"Look, I know it's hard. But this is your life here. Tell me, what is Black Sun?"

He raises his eyes up to her. They're full of regret and caution.

"Tell me Zuko, or I'll make you tell me." She reaches through the bars to grab his hand but he moves away just In time."

"It's when the Fire Benders won't have any bending." He says lowly.

"For how long?"

He doesn't answer.

"How long Zuko?"

"Thirty minutes." He replies. He's ashamed of himself.

"Where is Ozai during all this?" She presses. "Does he stay in the throne room?"

"Yes, he's locked in the throne room for his own protection."

Katara stands, her mind reels with this new information. "Thank you. Don't worry, I'll get you out of here."

She turns and races back up the steps. She'll save Zuko's life and hers too. For both of their sakes she hopes he's telling the truth.

**.0.**

**Read and Review**


	12. Chapter 12

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full Summary:** An epic story in which Katara is a banished rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. Will love be able to bloom between these two or will they let their differences destroy them?

**Twelve**

"You've grown over the years. You aren't that scrawny little crybaby that you used to be." Fin says with a small smile. Katara doesn't say anything as she takes a seat by the wall. Fin is tall with long white hair and he's draped in long royal blue fur lined robes.

"Still quite a runt." Aniyah says. "Now does your visit bring joy or despair?" As a wrinkled hand runs through Katara's hair. She smiles at her and her gray eyes twinkle in the fire. Aniyah is also dressed in the fine robes. She has aged gracefully over the years, she still keeps her hair a low braid at the top of her head. She appears kind and gentle but Katara knows that it's all an act.

"Despair." Katara replies dryly. "Where is Koi? Is he dead yet?"

"Not even a million fire benders could kill me." Koi chuckles deeply as he strokes his beard as he emerges from a back room.

"Now that the party's all here can we get on with this? It's almost dinner time." Looks at them expecting an answer. Aniyah looks impassively at him before taking a seat in one of the chairs around the big wooden table.

"I think tonight we're having a feast, after all, the princess has returned!" Koi bellows. Katara remains silent in her seat. Sokka watches her intently before he sighs.

"Sokka, mind giving us a minute alone with Katara?" Fin asks courteously. "We have a many things to discuss."

"For confidentiality purposes, I'm sure the chief would agree." Aniyah's eyes twinkle Katara knows that look but she doesn't think that Sokka has picked it up yet.

"Don't get the wrong idea, I don't want to hear your boring speeches. I got enough of those last year." Sokka waves at them before he exits the room. Katara wonders what he means by that.

"Now." Koi sits to Aniyah's right. "We won't keep you very long here. I'm sure you may have a guess as to why you were bought back here, if the shipmen haven't told you."

"My banishment, which I didn't know was for four years, was up. Now you want me to come back here and help you defeat Ozai, finish that dumb oracle training, and behave as though said banishment never happened." She says with brilliance. "But either way, you'll still kill the prince and that's something that I don't want to happen."

"I think that Ozai's son has somehow gotten into your head. Why wouldn't you want the prince dead Katara?" Aniyah cocks her head to the side and watches her with curiosity.

"Zuko has done nothing to me but his father has done everything and more. You should be fueling your hatred towards the Fire Lord instead of his son."

Koi clears his throat."I won't pick sides hear and say that I'm with Katara on this one-"

"Pha!" Fin laughs. "You've already said it Koi."

"Think about it, we have to think rationally. Hakoda has already spoken to us after the banishment was ended-"

"-A banishment that was supposed to be served in the prison." Aniyah corrects him. "Yet the question is how she managed to escape."

"We can figure that out later, besides, the past is in the past. That isn't of importance now Aniyah." Fin shifts in his seat.

"I'm not stupid. I know that you don't want me here simply because my banishment ended, you want me here because you need an oracle and you need the information on the Day of Black Sun and the comet." Katara crosses her legs. "Now, I'm just trying to see why should I help any of you. You threw me in a cell, staved me of food, water, the moon. You put a warrant out for my arrest too, not that that means anything to me in my book."

"You think that less of us?" Koi frowns.

"What do you want me to do?" She asks with mild frustration. "You bought me here for a reason."

"If it counts I've missed you Katara. But since you want to get straight to the point without any pleasantries, we have formulated an idea, something like that. You being the oracle we know that you receive visions of the future, you are contacted by and may contact those who are dead. As Sangok mentioned earlier, there is something called the day of Black Sun, and then there is a comet, Sozin's comet." Fin explains.

"You want to know what those two things do?" She asks. "That's it? You could've asked anyone… even captured a solider and got that out of him."

Aniyah frowns in disapproval."We need more than that Katara, we need the Fire Nation's weaknesses, their strengths, and offensive and defensive strategies. There are things about the Fire Lord and the Royal Family that even the soldiers don't know…things that have been locked away in the heirs mind and forcefully forgotten."

That's when she realizes. She knows what they're trying to get her to do, she sits up straight in her seat and looks at then squarely. "You want me to get inside his mind and pull out those memories don't you?"

"If you do this the boy will go free and you've been redeemed of the crimes you committed."

"But reach inside his mind? I'm not doing that, that's the ultimate brink of privacy!"

"What ties do you have with this boy? What lies has he pumped into you Katara? What did he promise you?" Aniyah jumps to her feet. "Has he promised you the seat as Fire Lady when he takes the throne?"

"He promised me nothing! The act you want me to execute is plain wrong!" She stands from her seat, Koi and Fin stand as well. They think she'll attack them. How can she? She has no bending and no type of weaponry. Even as she is now they consider her as a threat.

"We are trying to take down the Fire Nation and the Fire Lord himself. You of all people should be more than willing to jump on this opportunity! In that cell is the key to everything you've ever wanted!" Aniyah exclaimed. She has always been the more hostile one out of the three, always ready to get down to the point and get what she wants.

"And after I do that then what?" Katara questions. "What then? You're going to kill him. You're going to kill him either way whether he tells anything or not."

"If you do this, if you get us what we need we will let the boy go but only if you stay at the pole and continue your duties as the oracle." Koi slams his fist over his heart. "I give you my word, the boy will receive no harm!" Fin nods in agreement.

They won't harm Zuko as long as she goes inside his head and stays afterwards at the South Pole while he goes free. Deep down Katara knows that she needs this training to control this so called gift just like she knows she has to get Zuko away from here. She looks down at the wooden table as if it would have the answers for it. It doesn't, it doesn't have anything but a smooth surface.

"I've already had a vision regarding the Tribes." She announces. "It will fall."

"What?" Aniyah scowls. "That's insane! How can you know? You have little to no training, there's no way-"

"I believe her." Koi announces. Aniyah cuts her eyes. "Did something trigger the said vision?"

"Sokka, I touched Sokka. Though I don't know what connection he would have to it."

"I see." Fun nods.

"An oracle receives a look into future comings, but not a very detailed and explainable look. Sometimes the future can be altered by the actions of the present based on the occurrences of the past." Katara raises her head. "So far over these eighteen years, the few visions I've had has always been right. I've managed to be able to suppress them but now they're coming more and more I can't control them."

"You need training. We have to prevent our home from destruction." Aniyah says with a hint of worry in her tone. She looks downward at Katara. "If we are all massacred it would be because she chose to spare the boys mind from infiltration."

"Do you know how long that would take Aniyah?" Sokka barges back into the room. "Do you know the training she would have to go through to get that good? Are you out of your mind? One slip up-"

"-And I could either kill him, myself, or both of us." Katara finishes. "Exactly what happened to the last oracle? What happened your great grandmother Aniyah? Did you forget?"

"Songza fulfilled her oracle duties to the fullest extent, she opened the pathway for us to get a few steps ahead of the Fire Nation, Sozin was defeated just as she'd predicted." Aniyah's eyes narrow at her. Under her robes Katara can see that her firsts are balled.

"But she could lose her life!" Sokka objects. Ever since they talked earlier his brotherly instincts have slowly began to return. She told him she accepted his apology, but she feels that she only said that to get him off of her. She isn't ready to forgive him, not yet.

"Sokka has a point." Koi agrees. "This would be dangerous."

"She hasn't agreed to do anything yet." Fin clasps his hands behind his back. "The decision is all hers, we can't make her do anything that she doesn't want to do."

"We can and we will. She has some infatuation with the fire bender. I think she'll change her mind about getting us what we need just because she cares about him so much!" Aniyah scoffs. "Let's face it, we cannot put our hope in this little girl. She's love struck, there's no use of her."

Sokka steps forward. Fin pulls him back by placing a strong hand on his shoulder.

"You watch where you tread hag." Sokka leans forward on the table. "You need her help, speaking to and about her like that won't get you anywhere."

"He's right, let's just put the claws away and respect each other and behave as adults, we're all grown here." Koi always was the peacemaker. Katara shrugs and lays her arms on the arms of the chair. Aniyah doesn't like her, she never has liked Sokka either. It's because they're a constant reminder of Kya and Hakoda's love and even after all these years Aniyah still loves Hakoda, what makes it even more of a difficult situation is that Aniyah is Kya's younger sister.

"We'll have to consult Arnook and Hakoda about a plan B. We can't have a child destroying our future." She sits down in her seat with grace, completely avoiding Katara's gaze.

"I've survived things you would be too terrified to even dream about. I've lived four years on my own, keeping myself alive and fending for myself. What have you been doing Aniyah?" Katara ask. "Sitting seated in some fancy chair, ogling at the chief probably."

"Now Katara, that's enough." Koi warns.

"Let her speak, it seems as though the princess has a lot of unsaid words on her mind." Aniyah states calmly. "Please, continue. May I remind you of the fact that you don't have any bending and you are completely powerless and useless in a room of four master water benders?"

"Now isn't the time for some family squabble!" Fin chastises.

Katara's finger twitches, Aniyah freezes and her eyes bulge. "No, but I think that you're blind to the fact that I don't need water bending to beat you, You may be a master water bender, but you are completely useless against an advanced blood bender."

Aniyah gargles, her hands reach up and claw at her neck. Veins are protruding and straining under her skin. Koi and Fin rush to her side. Sokka back away, he side glances at Katara. He knows it's her. Aniyah continues to choke on her own blood, straining for oxygen and writhing in pain. Katara is wrong, she knows this is wrong but

Somewhere deep in her mind she gets a satisfied perversion from this.

"Stop it." Sokka whispers harshly. She doesn't comply her finger closes in more and more each second.

"Katara! What are you doing?" Fin asks from Aniyah's side. "Stop this at once!"

But she cant stop.

It feels so good.

"Katara." Sokka shakes her by her shoulders. "Katara!" He shakes her more but he still doesn't get a response. She stares emotionlessly and unblinkingly at Aniyah's trembling form. When she's blood bending her humanity is nowhere to be found, she looses control. She hates it but the feeling is amazing.

It's bittersweet.

"Katara!" Sokka shouts with one last violent shake. She gasps and relaxes her fingers, Sokka stands straight and looks down at her almost in pity. Aniyah's body is now relaxing in Fin's arms, she's breathing harshly and rubbing her neck. Katara looks down at her own hands. If she were to take things a little further she would've…

"I'm going to stay and receive the training he need, and afterwards I'll remain at the South Pole but that's only if no harm comes to the prince and if he gets back to his home safely. The Day of Black sun is when the firs benders wont have any bending for thirty minutes. Sozin's comet is coming soon, all fire benders will have immense power."She stands and says with an unwavering Voice. Sokka tries to grab hold of her but she slips out of his grasp and leaves out of the room.

**.0.**

"What are you doing here?" Hahn asks as soon as she steps into the freezing holding cells. "Thought you were with the sages."

"I was."

"What happened?"

"I'm going to stay here and help." She picks at a small cut on her wrist. "Where is the priestess? I need to get this training out of the way."

"She's at the temple, but before you go you might want to apologize." Hahn finishes his writing.

"To who?"

"I don't think there's enough paper in the world to list all the people you've screwed over. Let's start with the princess of the northern tribe- you held her hostage- that upset Arnook as well. That's two right there."

"Oh please. I'll do it when I'm not busy." She continues

"You aren't going to be busy right now. The prince isn't here."

She freezes. "What do you mean he isn't here?"

"The Chiefs took him out for interrogation and-"

"-Where is he?" She spins around. "Where'd they take him?"

Hahn frowns at her. "You know I can't tell you that katara."

She frowns at him. She remembers Sokka did the same thing once he became a fully realized warrior, he began keeping things from her. "Do we really have to go here again Hahn?"

"We don't have to go anywhere. I'm just saying that I can't tell you that, you should understand that by now." She shifts from one foot to the next, not pleased by his words. He rolls the scroll up and sighs. "Care to explain why he's so infatuated with you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He kept asking about you."

"Just quit it."

"Sangok doesn't like that." He murmurs. "Don't worry, by the time you get to the temple and come back they'll be done with your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"And Yue's hair isn't white." He scoffs.

She leaves then, not wanting to entertain Hahn anymore than she already had. She's not worried about the sages, or Hahn or Sangok. She's more worried about Zuko because she knows just how the tribes get information out of people, but maybe they didn't touch him. Maybe he told them something, maybe he's alright.

But why does she care?

Its black dark outside and everyone's either at their homes or in the town square eating with everyone else. It's pretty windy tonight, she pulls her jacket closed. If her memory serves her correctly, the priestess didn't eat until everyone else was done eating. She's so stuck on preserving the traditions of the tribes it isn't even funny.

That's another reason why Katara left. She couldn't deal with the male and female rules. She walks up the smooth marble steps of the tall temple, it's made completely of intricately carved ice. It's a beautiful building, but it holds so many memories that she doesn't want to remember. The torches are lit along the walls of the entrance, the ice doesn't melt because it's spirit water, nothing can penetrate spirit water. Her footsteps echo long the floods as she goes. She stops when she's in the middle of the temple, looking straight up at the half moon. It shines it's light down onto her, it's comforting. Her eyes land on the Tui and La statue that's directly across from her. She sighs before tearing her eyes away.

"Katara, is that you?"

Katara whips around to see Kanna, her grandmother standing at the doorway. Her heart skips a beat as she takes in her wrinkled face and soft blue eyes. The woman gives her a warm smile as we approaches her. Katara expects her to hug her tightly like she's missed her, or kiss both of her cheeks and pinch her arms.

What she didn't expect was to be sent flying backwards into the statue and pinned to the wall with a ice spear in her shoulder.

**.0.**

**Sucky ender, I know.**

**Short, I know.**

**Read and review. I'll make up for this chapter in the next chapter.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Story Title:** Caged Birds

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Thirteen**

The pain is cold and excruciating. She hasn't felt a pain like this in a long time. She's pinned to a the wall by the alter, painfully pinned by the ice spear in her shoulder. She can't pull it out, she can't bend it out, she can't clot the blood to stop it from breathing because she used the little bit of her chi on Aniyah. She wraps her fingers around the ice to try but it doesn't budge.

She looks at Kanna, whose just as confused as she is. Then she remembers, kanna isn't a water bender.

"What's this? What's going on here?" Kanna asks in alarm.

"Don't move!" Katara exclaims. With all the strength she could muster "I don't know who this is-"

"-I'm dearly appalled. How can anyone forget this face?" A feminine voice says from the high ceilings, Katara freezes. She knows that voice, how could she ever forget it? The sounds of water cutting through the air fills the room. She looks up to see a figure with sleek black hair parasailing from window to window by long streams of water that she uses as arms.

Ming Hau.

"Gran, run! Go get sokka!" Katara struggles to remove the ice. "You have to get out of here!"

Ming Hau is an advanced water bending fugitive that she met last year in Gaoling. She suppresses the startled breath that attempts to escape her throat when the woman lands in front of her, dangerously close. Behind her dark form she sees Kanna doing what she told her to, but she's old. Spirits only knows how long it would take for someone to come.

"Your grandmother isn't who I want, actually I can care less about her." Her grey eyes dart to the ice that's sliced her shoulder. "Now why wouldn't you take that out yourself?"

"Wouldn't you just love to know? Why are you here? How did you find me?" She grunts out in pain. Ming Hau looks amused.

"You don't have any bending." One of her tentacles comes and pulls wraps around the spear. It yanks it out without warning and Katara drops to the floor on her hands and knees, Ming Hau hoists her back up. The water encircles around her neck and katara's hands shoot up to the prosthetic arm, she knows it's no use. Ming Hau has no feeling in these water tentacles she uses as arms.

"Sorry about stabbing you and all, but I found a chance to catch you off guard and I took it. You would've fought me if you had your bending and you most likely wouldn't listen." Ming Hau tightens her grip around her neck, she doesn't release her not even as her eyes turn red. "Now do I have your attention?"

Katara nods, gasping for breath when her windpipe is released. Her and Ming Hau never have been on good terms, they just worked together towards two common goals.

Taking down Ozai.

Ridding the world of the Fire Nation.

Two master water benders on the same team was always bought about competition. "What do you want Ming?"

"Zaheer has been looking for you, he thinks that you aren't holding up the other end of your deal."

"What are you talking about? I am doing what I'm supposed to do."

"Then why are you here and not at the Fire Nation palace? She scolds. "The eclipse is almost here!"

"I got side tracked. The eclipse isn't until another month, I'll be at the palace before then." She pushes up off her hands and gets to her feet.

She scoffs with a scowl at her lips. "For your sake I hope so. It took a while to find you. Your trail went cold, but then I looked in the most unlikely place, and voila! Here you are."

"Is that all you came for? For your sake I hope it is, the others will be here any minute." She hopes so but then again she hopes that she gets out of here. "Tell Zaheer that I'll finish my job, I have no intentions on backing out."

Secretly, she was supposed to be in the palace now, doing whatever she could to have the Fire Lord think nothing of her but a disowned oracle. She was supposed to assassinate the prince and the princess and the sages. She was supposed to stay until the Day of Black Sun to be on the inside so that the others could take over the palace after they defeat Ozai. That's what she was supposed to be doing, but her plans have changed a little.

"While you've been galavanting with your little tribesmen did you know that both Ghazan and half of the League of Sentries are dead?" Her eyes glint, she's asking a question that she already has an answer to. Katara doesn't know if Ming Hau is a blood bender or not, she doesn't know If she can hear heartbeats and Tell if someone's lying or not.

"No, I didn't know that. Am I supposed to?" She asks.

Katara knows that they're dead.

But they were collateral damage.

"I don't trust you, I don't know why Zaheer trusts you so much." Her water arms shoot up to the ceiling, her eyes are cold and hard. "But I'll relay this information to him, don't get to comfortable Katara."

She watches her propel up to the ceiling and fly out one of the windows. If anyone finds out that she's working for Zaheer shell be dead on the spot without anyone wanting to know the whole story, and the whole story is complicated. She isn't a criminal, she isn't really with them like they think. Sooner or later she'll have to tell them, she'll have to tell Sokka.

She hears footsteps, it's Sokka, Bato, Hahn, and Hakoda who appear at the steps. Some other warriors burst into the building to scan it.

"What happened here?" Hakoda inspects her. "Kanna said that-"

"-Katara you're bleeding." Hahn frowns at her. Sokka clumsily heals her, he isn't very good at healing but at least now the pain is gone.

"I'm okay." She withholds a wince.

"Who did this to you?" Sokka demands.

"I don't know, I couldn't see a face but I know they were a water bender." She rolls her shoulder back. "Where's gran?"

"She's at the house with Yue and Hama." Hakoda places a strong hand on her shoulder. His eyes are ridden with concern. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Besides the fact that she's probably about to be put on Zaheer's Kill List because she lied about infiltrating the palace. She's still going to do that but at the same time she isn't. "I'm okay, it's… it's all healed now."

"You sure you're alright? You look a little shaken up 'Tara." Sokka always sees right through her. "I'll take you home." He reaches for her hand but she steps back.

"I'm fine Sokka. Where's Zuko?"

"You were attacked and the only thing that's on your mind is the prince?" Hakoda questions. "Has he beaten Sangok?"

"What?- no, it's just-" she shrugs. "I'm going to go see grans."

"Katara!" Aang swoops down on his glider. His big brown eyes are full of worry. "I was at the stables when I heard the bells, what's going on here?"

As Sokka tells Aang what's going on a warrior that she doesn't know comes out of the temple. "Chief! It's clear, we didn't find anything. Whoever it was that attacked the princess is long gone by now, not even the sky bisons have spotted anything." He reports, his pale blue eyes linger on her for a moment before he seems to snap back to reality.

He said the princess.

"Thank you Siri." Hakoda nods. "Take her home for me. Aang, Sokka, Hahn and I'll will check on the villagers.

"I don't need an escort." Katara persists.

Hakoda refuses to take no for an answer. "It'll make me feel better, it'll make us all feel better. Siri is the head of our Elite Team and besides Sokka and Bato, he's my most trusted man."

Siri removes the cloth from around his nose and mouth. He holds out his arm for her to take in a formal manner. "Princess?" She looks at his arm, to the others, back to his arm again.

"Let's just go, I'm sure she's waiting on me." She turns and walks off down the snow road, Siri walks briskly to catch up with her.

"Sorry you got stuck with walking me, you can go skeet off somewhere else if you'd like. I won't mind." She tells him. He looks at her strangely once he finishes adjusting his gloves.

"Even if I thought that I'd be able to get away with it and escape your father's scolding I still wouldn't do it."

"Why? Don't you not like me or something? I can only imagine the tales the villagers have made up of me."

"None that I've heard princess."

"You don't have to be so formal to me. I'm the furthest thing from a princess."

She watches him remove the assassin like wrap from his head and remove the small snowflakes that litter it. He's got lightly tanned skin. It isn't dark like hers, as a matter of fact it's way lighter than hers. His hair is messy and auburn, soft looking spikes are scattered here and there. He doesn't have a beard or warrior beads, she wonders why. Hakoda said that he's one of the best.

"You're still the chief's daughter, which makes you the princess- no matter what you did."

She doesn't say anything the rest of the way, she just wants to get to grans. She knows that she'll have to tell Yue something, she'll have to apologize. Yue isn't a bender, she can't fight, she can barely protect herself. She's from the Northern Water Tribe, women are forbidden to fight.

The house that Katara was born and raised in is the biggest wooden log house in the entire tribe. It's two stories high with six bedrooms and three washrooms. It sits up high above the earth with an all around porch.

"Here you are, princess." Siri says in a finalizing tone. "Would you like for me to walk you In?"

"No, I think I can make it to the front door without getting attacked."

"As you wish." He turns and leaves, his boots crunch in the snow.

"Siri?"

"Yes princess?" He stops and looks back at her.

"Thank you for walking me."

"It was my pleasure." He smiles at her and then goes about his way. Katara turns and heads up the steps to the house. She turns the knob and walks in. It's still the same as she remembers- spacious, honey, warm and so filled with love. She closes the door soundlessly behind her.

"Katara?" Yue is in the doorway to the kitchen. She's still in her parka and boots, Katara wonders just how long she's been at the South Pole. "If you're looking for your grandmother she's in the herb room."

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I shouldn't have taken you hostage like that." Yue looks surprised, Katara continues. "It was just that when I found out they just wanted me back to be an oracle again I got upset, I don't…" she sighs. "When I'm mad I don't… it's almost like I can't control myself."

"I understand completely. I didn't know that they gave you a length for your banishment. I remember Sokka saying that the sages wanted you back." She steps further into the room "Hakoda and the others searched all over for you four years, they went against the sages advice and their own decisions to bring you back. Apparently when you left a little bit of this tribe left along with you. We missed you Katara, we were worried about you."

"I didn't know that, you've either turned into a really good liar or you're telling the absolute truth."

"I don't lie Katara, you know that. Where were you all this time?"

"Around, you know? I was just doing my own thing." She says. It's the truth, that's exactly what she was doing. Yue walks with her to the herbal room that's at the back of the house on the bottom floor. She fills her in on what's been happening lately but she only knows what Sokka has told her. She doesn't live here to know everything.

"You two are engaged?" Katara looks at Yue's neck, there's a necklace there.

"He asked me last week, but it's still under my fathers consideration. There's already someone at the North Pole that has caught my fathers eye for me, but I still wear it anyway." Yue says sadly.

"You don't like the boy do you?"

"He's an imbecile, a joke of a warrior, and he's rude."

"Sounds a lot like Sangok."

"That would be an insult to anyone, comparing anyone to Sangok is the ultimate burn."

"You should be able to marry who you love and want to be with, it shouldn't be up to your fathers approval."

After that Yue is silent until they reach the big door of the herbal room. "So you're going to stay?"

"I'm staying until this over."

"What do you mean this?"

"They want me to do that hocus pocus thing on Zuko. You know? It's where I have to take his blood and… Dig through his mind and pull out the information that they need." She shudders at the thought of it. "I only know so much about that but I've never done that before."

Katara turns the doorknob.

"It shouldn't be that hard Katara. Have… did you see Sokka anywhere? I know I heard the alarm but I didn't catch a sight of him."

"He should be returning from the temple any minute. He'll fill you in on everything." Katara tells her. "Don't worry, he's fine."

"Okay, thanks." Yue smiles. "I know we didn't have a proper welcoming seeing as though you kind of toyed with my life but… I'm glad that you're back Katara." She turns gracefully and leaves the same way that they came. Katara's eyes linger on her retreating form for a moment before she turns around and opens the door.

The smell of different herbs all blended in together nearly knock her off her feet. They're so strong! The walls are lined from the floor to the roof with numerous jars filled with plants for a million different uses. She shuts the door behind her and sets her hands on her hips. She looks around the room for kanna, satisfied when she sees her slowly climbing down from a ladder and coming her way.

"You look good gran." Katara manages a smile. "If anything you grew younger."

"Don't try and sugar talk me Katara." Kanna wraps her short arms around her, and it feels like home. "I've heard you been causing trouble around the globe." She smiles wrinkly.

"It's always two sides to a story."

"I bet it is." She pats her hand. "Now, what did you have to ask me that was so important?"

"The Sages -mostly Aniyah- they want me to tap into the princes memories, they want me to dig for answers in him."

She looks shocked at first and then her fave turns grim. "You can't do that Katara."

"I know I don't have the right training for it and I'm still new but-"

"No, you don't understand!" Kanna grabs onto her arms. "The task they want you to complete is called projection. You will entering another persons body and experiencing everything they've been through and you will be tampering with there memories!"

Katara smiles. "That doesn't sound too hard. All I have to do is concentrate and touch him right? Just look for the right things in his mind?"

"No, in order to project and receive someone's memories, you'll have to die Katara!"

.**0.**

**Ugh! Sorry! **

**But read and review. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions, what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war. **

**Fifteen**

"You aren't making any sense grans." Katara shakes her head. "That's impossible! Why do I have to die? I've never heard anything like this before." Aniyah knew, she knew that she would have to die to this. That's why she's wanting her to go through with it so badly.

"Retrieving someone's memories is a very complicated job. One slip up, just the smallest mistake and you could destroy them for good. It's manipulation, Katara. The traditional way that you've heard of is only used in light cases, death isn't needed. The oracles before you died, fulfilled their duties and came back but it isn't guaranteed that you will. In order to do this you must die and infiltrate the prince's soul. You will see his memories, feel his emotions, be him, but it is too risky. If you take too long you will get trapped in purgatory, there will be nothing that we could do to bring you back."

"There has to be another way. What about doing it the traditional way? Shouldn't that still work?"

"This is far too advanced for traditional. Does he trust you? Does he trust you with his life enough to let down their mental guard? The Prince's mind has already been blocked strongly in the past. So far no one has been able to penetrate that block. Does he care about you perhaps?" Kanna looks disgusted.

"I- I think so. I don't know." She sits down in a nearby chair feeling defeated. "I don't know, but I know that he isn't saying anything else. They're ready to kill him."

"And you have feelings for him and you don't want to hurt him, am I right?" Kanna smiles softly. A blush reaches Katara's cheeks. "You don't have to say anything child."

"No, we aren't- it's really not like that grangran!" She objects. "I actually don't like him."

"Your mother and father started out not liking each other. They fought and fought, they would break up every other day. They never saw eye to eye and they were always at each others throats. One thing is for certain, they were crazy about each other."

"I know, I remember. Zuko and I have just been through a lot with each other, that's all." Her heartbeat jumps, she ignores it. "This is his safety route. He can go back home alive after we're done. This projection technique- it's worth a shot."

"You are only friends with the prince of the Fire Nation yet you are willing to put your life on the line for him?"

"It's a bit of a mess."

"There is no telling if you will return to your body Katara. This requires control and patience. The prince has a block on his mind, I sensed it when I worked on him hours ago. Are you still You have to remove that block, Katara. Are you sure that this is what you want to do?"

"I have to, I have to at least try. I'll come back, I know I will." She says. "I have to." Contrary to popular belief, Katara isn't anywhere near ready to die yet. She doesn't know why, she doesn't know what's gotten into her mind, she doesn't know where these unwanted feelings are coming from but she wants to do everything that she can to help Zuko.

Maybe he can change.

"I understand. I will inform the Sages that you will perform the traditional technique, but tomorrow you will train. This is more complicated than manipulating water." Kanna moves past her to the door. "Are you sure that this is what you want to do? Both ways are exhausting for a new oracle, any oracle as a matter of fact. Perhaps we should try again with the traditional technique."

"What if we get him to somehow let us in? Just how strong is this block anyway?" She groans and leans back in the chair. She's touched Zuko before, she didn't feel anything then. The block couldn't have gotten on his mind since they've been at the South Pole. Unless- she looks up at kanna whose gathering herbs from a jar. "I think that it only gets triggered when someone tries to get into his mind. Is that possible?"

Kanna pauses and looks at her with wide eyes. "That is an unlikely possibility but it isn't unbelievable, to undo that the oracle has to either be quite powerful or you would have to track down the person who placed the block on his mind." A wave of relief washes over Katara's chest and kanna continues picking out of another jar though this one seems bigger than her. Katara remembers when she small, kanna would take her on trips with the other women to get herbs from more warmer regions of the world. That was back when her mother was still alive and back when she actually felt accepted and loved. It may sound weird, but she actually likes being here. She likes being back.

"Okay, so now we just have to find out who put the block on his mind right? That shouldn't be too hard. He just has to tell us right?" Her voice is full of hope. Hope for what? Hope for Zuko returning home to his family or hope for them gaining dominance over the Fire Nation. But if they gain dominance over the Fire Nation- wouldn't Zuko still be in danger. No, she'll think of something. Maybe, just maybe, things would turn out good for everyone.

"If he knows exactly who placed the block on his mind then it will shock me. Most people don't even know there's a block on their mind Lessing on knowing who put it there. Either they will have to unblock his mind or they have to die in order for the block to be taken down." Kanna carefully places the selected herbs in a little blue velvet sack and ties a golden bow around it. She wonders what she's going to do with those herbs this time of night. "Aside from that, you yourself must be at peace with yourself. Please. Consider your traditional option Katara. Either find that person or try to dissolve his mind yourself. I don't want to risk losing my grandchild again."

"That finding peace thing, how long will it take?"

"Make amends, fix your mistakes, accept things as they are. Hopefully, that won't talk you all year. " Kanna smiles. She places the pouch in her robe pocket and slowly walks over to Katara. She takes her youthful hand in her wrinkled one and gently tugs. "Come, I'm sure that they haven't eaten all the stew. You can tell me all about your adventures after we've eaten and-"

"How can you still accept me?" Katara looks down at her hands. She has paints a mental image of all the blood that's on them, all the dirty things they've done over the years. "After all I've done, how can you accept me? I've killed, I've manipulated, I've…" she shakes her head and closes her eyes tightly as she remembers ever single thing when she follows Kanna out into the hallway. This is feeling; it's pure guilt, she hates gilt.

"No matter what you've done, you're still my own flesh and blood. Everyone makes mistakes on the path of life to find themselves." Kanna pats her hands. "To forgive, you must first forgive yourself."

Forgive herself? Even forgiving others will take a long time. "You're always defending me, always… always blocking out the wrong that I do."

"I know that that happy little girl who loved to smile and laugh is still here-" Kanna presses a finger over Katara's heart. "- I don't blame you for anything. What you've done in the past will stay in the past. Bringing up ones past and judging them by what they've done isn't a part of me. There's good in everyone, it just takes the right thing to bring it out, or the right person."

"The right person? What does that mean?"

"You'll see in due time now." Katara doesn't realize how soon someone's going to bring out the buried goodness in her.

She has literally talked her grandmother to sleep. She's told her everything but left out some parts that she would go into panic about. She stayed silent the entire time as Katara talked, as she expressed her feelings about everything she's endured and Kanna listened. The flickering of the fire and the wolves howling in the distant tundras makes nostalgia wash over her. She covers Kanna with a thick quilt and brushes the loose strands of hair out of her face. She's so peaceful now, sleeping like a baby.

She shreds off her own thick clothing and sits in front of the fire in the fire place. It makes her think of Zuko- it's so bright and hot, powerful and beautiful but at the same time it's dangerous. It destroys things, burns things, it scars things. You can't get too close to it because it can burn you. You want to touch it so bad but if you it'll totally consume you. If it doesn't kill you it'll scar you for life. She thinks that the same can be said about water.

Water makes its own path. It's so calm, beautiful and useful, but it's just as dangerous if not more than fire. Water can drown you, it's sneaky and can sneak up on you from anywhere. It's powerful, it's treacherous, and just like fire; if you cannot control it it can end in disaster.

She's water and Zuko is fire. They're from two different elements, two different sides of the battlefield and are on two different paths. If they're so different then why are they so much alike? Why does she think they have more in common then they're letting on? The front door opens and closes. Now, all she has to do is find out who put that on his mind and they'll be done with that hopefully.

The wind chills her back for a few seconds, when the door closes she hears light footsteps coming up to her from behind. She bets it's Sokka or Aang. She hopes it Aang.

"Hey." He sits cross legged next to her. It is Aang. His aura is comforting.

"Hey."

"So the village is secure. You know you gave everyone a scare back there, all that bleeding and stuff." His voice is soft, Katara closes her eyes and relishes it. She's missed Aang.

"The villagers? They were scared they were under attack. They weren't scared for me."

"Don't say that Katara." There's disapproval on his tone and Katara knows that he hates it when she thinks she's unable to be cared for. Her mind unwillingly travels back to the sages. At first Sokka was trying to get her to say that the prince had her captive, even if it wasn't true she would've gotten off Scott free. But without saying anything about Zuko

They gave her a clean slate because they need her. If you ask Katara, she'd say that all of them are working against each other in their own way. They've become dysfunctional over time. They aren't one solid unit like they used to be.

"Do I have reason to believe otherwise? Four years ago i killed off the council of elders. They didn't forget that."

"I remember but they don't have any real proof that it was you. A lot of them actually think that you were framed." He says the last part in a whisper as if he's afraid that someone may hear. She opens her eyes halfway and stares into the base of the fire.

"Why won't you kill people Aang? Hahn said that you barely want to hurt anyone. I understand that you're a monk and all but times have gotten harder." Besides her Aang's breath hitches in her throat and he looks down at the wooden floor in contemplation.

"I try to see the good in everyone. Those Fire Nation soldiers that we fight, they're just following orders mostly. Some of them don't like what Ozai is doing, some of them want him gone so that the world can be a better place." He stretches his legs out in front of him and scratches his head. "Sokka told me what the sages have proposed. You shouldn't go through with that. It isn't worth it."

"There's another way. Someone put a block on his mind, it's a strong one. In order to get rid of it the person who put it there either has to take it off or die."

"You mean there's another oracle? But who?"

"I have no idea, whoever it is they most likely still work for Ozai. I'm not strong enough to get past it, nor is gran. We'll have to find that other oracle."

"You seem pretty determined." Aang shifts beside her with an unsettled look on his face. "I guess you two are pretty close."

"We've been through a lot together."

"So have we."

"Don't do this Aang."

"Don't do what?"

"You know what." She gets to her feet and goes to check on Kanna. She's still sleeping peacefully. Katara can feel Aang's eyes on her the entire time, watching her and her every move. Aang is too young, too innocent, far too inexperienced. She's told him this numerous times in the past in the nicest way that she could. She thinks that he doesn't understand, hopefully one day he will. He helps her get Kanna into the bed and waits in the hallway until she tucks her into her warm bed.

As she takes in her own bedroom, which is the second biggest one in the house, she relishes the fact that it hadn't been touched since she left. She almost had the idea that they would've turned this room into something else, lock away everything that reminded them of her. She picks up a stuffed bear from her dresser. Sokka gave it to her on her ninth birthday, she loved this bear. She refused to go anywhere without it. "Where's Sokka?"

"He's at the guesthouse with Yue and Arnook."

Arnook.

She sits the bear down back in its place and sighs. She's never done anything against Arnook before, Lessing on his daughter. She knows that he's one of the people that she has to apologize to. She's not really looking forward to that too much. He's an understanding and caring man until you cross his daughter.

"Since you're going to be doing this, does that mean you're staying here?"

"I said that I'm staying until all of this is over and then I'll be on my merry way. There's nothing for me here."

She knows that her words hurt him. She doesn't have to turn around to know that he's left the room. She has to push him away, he has to push them all away because if doesn't it'll only make her feel worse about herself. She doesn't want them to get hurt over her mistakes. She doesn't want to cause anymore damage than she's caused already.

The next morning she's at Zuko's cell room bright and early. She didn't sleep much last night anyway. She was up thinking all night. Zuko is in the corner of his cell with his knees up supporting his arms. His head is down so she can't see his face. She gets down on her haunches and knocks on the bars.

"Zuko, wake up." He doesn't move. She finds this strange because he has always gotten out of bed before her. He's a fire bender and as soon as the sun comes up he rises with it.

"Zuko." She calls out more urgently. He sti doesn't move. Oh no, his heartbeat- it's so faint! That drumming that used to pound loudly in her ears no matter where she went is now a mere mockery now, but it has her worried still. The beats are getting further and further apart, fainter and fainter. It's making her go weak.

"What's going on in here?" It's Siri who hears her calls and comes from around the corner in full alert. "Prin- Katara, what's going on?"

Katara "I need the cell opened, he's about to die!"

"Well let him die, what's the problem? It's not like he's serving any use." Sangok appears behind them with a few other tribesmen that she doesn't know. She doesn't care about them right now, the only thing that's on her mind is getting Zuko help before it's too late.

"He's still human nonetheless." Siri states with dignity. "He's still a man Sangok." Katara doesn't notice when he leaves and comes back. Sangok remains quiet, he and the others behind him refuse to offer their help. She wishes that she could break the bars, reach out to him, pull him to her or something but she can't. It would've been easy if she had her bending but now she's all tapped out.

"How can you tell that he's about to die?" Siri asks. "Is it a bender thing?" He hands her over the keys and she fumbles with them to find the right one. When she does she bursts into the cell and drops down besides the cold body. He's cold, he's not supposed be in temperatures like this, he's a firebender. Don't they know that? Yes, they know. They just don't care.

"He's still alive isn't he?" Sangok remarks. "Chief said to keep him alive, not to keep him acclimatize and accommodate him. He may be a prince in the Fire Nation but he's no prince here."

"Zuko? Zuko!" She shakes him, he doesn't wake up. She removes her mittens touches his skin with her bare hands. He's Ice cold, he shouldn't be like this. He needs warmth, he needs to get out of here. Hypothermia has already settled in, she looks back at Siri. He has the most humanity out of the entire group. "Help me get him to the house."

"What's going on here?" Sokka pushes past Sangok and his blue eyes widen at the sight of his sister in the princes cell. "Katara, get out of there!"

Siri turns to the chief in training. "He's dying Sokka we need to get him someplace warm."

"What? What do you mean he's dying? We've had plenty of prisoners in here. Maybe he's just faking."

"Feel his heartbeat Sokka. It's weak, it's getting slower by the moment. "He's a fire bender with no bending, no way to heat his body up, in freezing cold weather!" She explains with more force than she intends to. "Sokka he needs to get out of here."

Sokka listens and listens, he weighs his options out and the consequences that will follow them.

"Sokka please." She pleads, does she pleads for the prince's life? She knows she isn't strong enough to carry him back to the house. "Please." She says one last time, his heart beats are growing further and further apart each passing moment.

Out the corner of her eye she can see Sangok eyeing her with a bit of disgust and even jealousy. It's because she's over the prince's body in a protective position with her bare hands pressed against his cold, pale cheeks, looking up at her big brother for help- something that she hasn't done in years. He's jealous because it isn't him, he's disgusted because her affections have risen to the surface for the Fire Nation prince and not for a Water Tribe Warrior.

Sokka looks at her and then down at the prince's body, when he looks at her again he caves into himself. There's no way he's able to deny his sister at the vulnerable state that she's in now. "Help me get him up Siri, we'll take him to the house."

Katara stands to the side as they pick up Zuko's body and carry him out of the cell. She goes on out behind them after she collects her mittens from the floor. Sangok grabs her arm when she passes by him. A white flash blinds her and her right hand grips Sangok's forearm with all the strength she has.

_Fire. _

_Blood. _

_Screams. _

"I don't know what link you have with that prince, but I won't let you bring these tribes down just because of your little feelings." He says with a slight snarl on his hard face. "I don't let a woman be the downfall of our people."

She looks at him, and then at the men behind him. Her chest heaves up and down like she's ran miles around the pole. She pulls away from him like he's burned her. "If you fools continue to choose to follow behind Sangok, on Day of Black Sun you'll face a tragic end."

"What?" Sangok backs away from her. "She's lying- she has to be lying."

"Why would I lie? Oracles aren't made to lie, remember? You choose your own fate warrior." She makes emphasis on the word warrior, he's a good one but Katara doesn't think he's one with any honor. "If any of you were smart you'd go back to the north and spend this time with your families."

She doesn't linger around to hear their opinions or worries. She runs back to the house as fast as her legs can take her, not wasting anytime to speak to the villagers who greet her happily as she speeds by. This is the quickest that she's ever recovered from a vivid vision as that one. Hopefully Sangok will choose wisely and stay with her group, but knowing him he'll want to branch off on his own with his little followers.

Zuko is wrapped in what appears to be a dozen blankets and is on the floor in front of the fireplace when she bursts through the door. The fire is bigger, warmer, and brighter now. Sokka and Siri must've added more wood and such to make it burn hotter. She takes off her scarf along with her parka and balls them up and tosses it on the sofa. She settles down besides Zuko as quietly as she can do that she doesn't wake him. She's facing him with one hand propping up her head and the other is resting on her hip. Katara has never pictured herself lying besides him like this. She touches his cheek- it's warm now, his heartbeat is stable and he has some color to him. She places her hands on both sides of his head and just as Kanna had said there's a powerful block there.

He breathes deeply and evenly, occasionally stirring in his sleep. She removes some of the blankets to check his neck, chest, and stomach. Those are the main three areas that they would inflict pain on. She tears his shirt and inspects him. His skin is clear and flawless, is he not the fire bending prince of the Fire Nation? Shouldn't he have battle scars?Katara doesn't see any scars. Her fingertips roam up the side of his neck and her hand cups his cheek. She moves some fallen strands of raven hair out of his serene face. His skin is soft under her touch and instead of inspecting his body for injuries she's examining him as a lover would. Her hand travels across his broad chest, down muscled stomach and stops at his navel.

"If you wanted to fondle me you could've taken my offer on the ship."

Her head shoots up to see a pair of smoldering golden eyes gleaming down at her with amusement. She yanks her hand away an he sits up and the rest of the blankets pool around his waist. She's sure her cheeks are as red as the flames in the fireplace. What can she say? What can she say that can cover up her physical inspection of his godlike body? Nothing. Not a single thing comes to mind. He's caught her in the act, though he doesn't look upset about it.

"What's wrong?" He asks her.

"Y-you were about to freeze to death in the cell. My brother and his friend bought you here to- you almost died, alright. Let's just… leave it at that."

"It took me to be near death for you to warm up to me?"

"It wasn't warming up. You were taken to interrogation and I was just checking for injuries. What-" Zuko stops her by taking a firm hold of her hand.

"You don't have any bending, so if you can't bend you can't heal me so why would you be doing this?" He presses her hand back against his chest. He retraces the same patterns that she went earlier, he saw and felt everything. He wasn't asleep. Her heartbeat pounds in her ears when he lowers her hand down his stomach and he watches her the entire time. What is he doing?

"You liked doing this." Zuko speaks so softly that she almost didn't hear him. She swallows and shifts under his gaze. He removes her hand from his stomach and kisses her fingers. It may be a small action but to her it feels like heaven. She lets him do that, she lets him do that because she likes it. She's in his trance now and she can't break free, their heads are so close together and she feels her lower half burning up with desire.

She doesn't know who made the first move, but in the blink of an eye her back is on the floor and Zuko is pinning her down with his lips sealed over hers.

**.0. **

**Read and review. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Story Title**: Caged Birds

**Author: XxToToXx**

**Full Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions, what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Fifteen**

He tastes like sunshine and honey, and she kisses him back with a blurred mind. Her hand goes up to his cheek and pulls him closer to her as her hips tilt up against his. She can't stop her hands from returning to his chest A low grunt escapes his throat at her movements and his lips move on to her jaw and ear. They hover over her neck and his warm breath alone makes her arch against him. When he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls it up to his own she gasps into his neck and squeezes her nails into his back. His hardness brushed over her and to Katara it was pleasurable electricity. She's never been this close to him and she definitely thought that she'd be in intimate positions with him either, but she likes it.

But he's the son of Ozai, he's the prince of the Fire Nation. She shouldn't be yearning for his touch like this, she shouldn't be bought to her knees by him, she shouldn't have her hands all over him and she shouldn't be letting him cause her to melt and want more from him. Zuko brushes against her again all while he pulls at the tender skin on her neck, his tongue rolls to a sensitive area and she whispers out his name. It makes him go further to hear more. His hand snakes under the back of her shirt, to her side, across her stomach and down to the sash at her pants. He whispers something into her hair and blesses her body with searing kisses starting from her collar bone on down.

She starts to wonder where all this came from. Maybe it's always been there- that tension and infatuation. The innocent touches and lingering looks may have caused it. Maybe it's because they've been through enough with each other to finally have trust between them. She's on her elbows, sitting up on them to watch him roll her shirt up over her stomach and draw patterns with her tongue. The lower he goes the faster her heartbeat goes, and he won't tear his eyes away from hers. They're burning, smoldering with want and need. His fingers slip into the band of her pant and she shifts under him in anticipation.

She wants this.

She wants this from him and he wants it just as badly.

Banging comes to the door and she jumps at the sound of it. She can ignore it. Zuko looks at her from under his lashes, she hates when he does that. He kisses the base of her throat and runs his hand up and down the side of her thigh. The knocking continues, she wishes they would go away.

"You can see what they want." Zuko suggests. "Or we can keep going and ignore them." He presses into her again and then grinds against her center, taking his lips in hers she meets him halfway and matches every thrust against her. She can't stop his name from escaping her throat numerous times.

There's a knock at her door. "Katara!" It's Sokka. "Open the door, I left my key somewhere."

Eventually she does get up, she immediately misses Zuko's warmth. He watches her intently as she straightens her clothing and recollects herself. She doesn't meet his stare. She can't, not after that foreplay. She hopes she looks normal when she opens the door to let Sokka in, he's not alone. Aniyah is with him and her eyes immediately land on Zuko.

"I'm hoping that you've accomplished your given task." She turns her head in an unbothered way back to Katara. Sokka looks between Zuko and Katara with a suspicious eye, Katara ignores him.

"I haven't." She responds. "In order to do that I would have to die, you left out the part about that. I can't do it the traditional way either because his mind has been blocked. We need to find who put there so that they could take it off."

"What do you mean there's a block?" Zuko has recovered from their previous fervor and is now standing besides the fire.

Katara answers him before Aniyah can come up with a smart remark. "Someone put a block on your memories, every time me or grandmother try to find out something about the Fire Nation we get pushed back- she's not an oracle by the way, she's just spiritually inclined and that's how she was able to sense it. The block is strong, I'm not strong enough to get around it and I'm not risking death for it."

"I don't know anything about a block." He says. "You've been able to get into me before haven't you?"

"I never tried to get inside your head for the Nation's information. I've never received anything on you." The only reason that Katara knew about the dagger in her boot wasn't because she was an oracle it was because she'd seen him put it there, he doesn't know that though.

"So what now? How are we going to find another oracle? You're the only one in the world who can do this psychic mumbo jumbo." Sokka reminds her.

"Exactly what's going on here?" Zuko is lost.

It's then that Katara realizes she hadn't told him. "I have to get inside of your mind and find out what it is you're not telling me, I need to see what you're being blocked from remembering."

"So you have no recollection on your memory?" Aniyah frowns and her cold eyes narrow. "Isn't that convenient?"

Katara crosses her arms. "It isn't his fault."

"Maybe if you would have stayed in the temple and learned how to become a worthy oracle we wouldn't have this problem."

"Worthy? I was told that only worthy women become oracles because the spirits favor and trust them enough. I guess that why you weren't chosen."

"Alright Katara." Sokka puts a hand on her shoulder. "Let's all calm down before this escalates."

"This isn't anything to escalate. I think I'm the only one that realizes we're on a time limit here!"

"Aniyah, if she can't do it then she can't do it."

"She can always go with the advanced way- she can kill herself to infiltrate his body, you know that there's no way we can find another oracle!"

Zuko looks up. "Aunt Wu." All heads turn to him.

"What'd you say?" Sokka asks.

"You're right." Now she remembers. "In Makapu, there's a woman whose a fortune teller. She was able to read Zuko's fortune, she saw into his past and his future with no problem and she saw mine too. She's an oracle, she has to be."

"You went to Makapu?" Sokka cocks his head to the side. "You've really been busy haven't you?"

"Makapu, you were rendezvousing." Aniyah scoffs.

"Kind of." She picks up her jacket off of the sofa and throws it on. "I'm going to the headquarters."

Sokka does a double take. "What? You can't go there."

"Why not?"

"Dad's in a mission briefing right now with Arnook and the other warriors, you can't-"

"-You're about to say that I can't go there because I'm a female aren't you?"

He laughs. "Actually no, I was going to say you can't because you aren't dressed to go there, you aren't in uniform. That's where I'm supposed to be right now but since I'm late I'll have to be briefed later on."

Katara looks over his clothing. She never noticed that he'd changed clothes. He's wearing loose navy trousers that are tucked into black knee high boots with a moon symbol on the front of them. There's a thick band around his waist and he's wearing a navy blue tunic with his arms bandaged and fingerless gloves. There's a loose wrap around his neck that Katara knows is used to cover the bottom portion of his face. She doesn't remember having one of those outfits, they must've changed the customs.

"This is Important they'd want to hear this." Katara tightens her scarf around her neck. She isn't cold but she still likes to where wear it. "I'll go tell them. Will you stay with Zuko? I don't trust her."

Aniyah looks down on her. "Says the woman who committed manslaughter."

"I'll stay, they're at the war hut. You do remember where that is don't you?"

"Eastern corner of the village." She runs a hand through her hair. "How can I forget?" She gives Zuko one last look before she leaves out of the house and heads to the war hut.

"That's obsured!" She hears Hakoda yell out as soon as she steps the flap of the hut.

"-It's the only thing we have left to do, what else can we do with him?"

"-why are you protecting him Zanteq?"

"-The prince has to die!"

"-The north knows nothing of the in depth affairs of the south, how can they rule on our ground?" Someone yells. "The only reason they're here now is because their territory has been threatened!"

"-think they're so much…"

"-we know plenty about survival!"

"-You're out of control, control yourself men!"

"-What real reason does he have to die for? Just because he's the Fire Lord's son?" Someone speaks up from the northerners side.

"-One more word outta you and I'll be convinced that you're working with him!"

Maybe she should've stayed back with Sokka and waited until they were finished. Even though she's the only woman in the room she's still earned her spot as a warrior. She decided to wait at the back of the room Unnoticed until they finish their squabble. Meetings with the north usually end up getting cancelled completely due to disorder or a brawl.

Hama, Hakoda, Aang and Arnook stand at the head of the room, the Warriors are now arguing amongst themselves, threatening each other. Aang tries to be the peacemaker, but he's being overruled. Its just a mess, one big mess. They're supposed to be one, not two. They're so against each other that they can't behave long enough to try to get along.

Hakoda catches sight of her and moves through the crowd to get to her. She knows he won't be able to hear what she has to say in here, she slips back outside and waits for him.

"Katara? Where's Sokka? Why aren't you two at the meeting?" He's wearing the same thing as Sokka, looking strong and powerful enough- just like the chief that he is.

"I didn't know I was supposed to attend, I didn't know anything about it. Sokka is back at the house with Zuko."

"Zuko?" He doesn't look too pleased about her answer. She thought he would've known by now since word travels so quickly in this place. "The prince is supposed to be in his cell being monitored by guards. Why is he in my home?"

"Because he was dying, he was about to freeze to death! Fire benders can't stand the cold weather, it kill them."

"So you took him home to nurse him to health?"

"No- yes! I don't…" she sighs.

"You have feelings for him don't you?"

"No, I don't. I would've helped anyone." It's not a lie, it's actually the truth.

"alright." He says in a disbelieving tone. "Why wouldn't you come?"

"Probably because I was banished and let's not get started on the fact that I'm a female."

Hakoda looks at her strangely before he puts a big hand on her shoulder. "All that is over now Katara. You're still my daughter and you're still a part of this tribe."

"I-I came to tell you that we have to go to Makapu to see a fortune teller. She's the one who blocked his mind, that's why no one can get into it. We-" a loud war cry is heard from inside the hut and Hakoda looks over his shoulder. They're fighting in there now, Katara can tell.

"Let's talk about this later, alright?"

She nods and he disappears back into the hut.

When she returns back home, the guards who are stationed around the perimeter of the home eye her, she ignores it. Aniyah is gone and Sokka is half asleep on the sofa, Zuko eyes her the moment she walks in. She doesn't look at him, how could she after what they just did? Who knows? Maybe it meant nothing to him.

Sokka rubs his tired eyes. "What happened at the hut?"

"I couldn't really explain it to him, the northerners aren't being too cooperative right now. They want to kill him to get back at Ozai."

Zuko shifts in the hair by the fireplace. "Are they?"

"Depends on the Chiefs. If they want you dead then you're dead, if they decide to let you live for whatever reason, then you'll live." Sokka stands up and stretches. "You should know how it goes."

"I've never been held hostage before."

"There's a first time for everything." Sokka scratches the back of his head and looks at Katara. "You got it here? I want to go and see Yue before Arnook gets there."

"I have it." No she doesn't, she doesn't have it. "Where's gran?"

"With Hama, they're probably going from shop to shop- you're cooking tonight too, you and Yue."

"What? I don't cook! I'm not doing that."

"It was all grans idea. Yue just volunteered to, I don't know why. Hopefully since the other women will be there we'll have a chance at a real meal."

Yue doesn't know a thing about cooking, she's a pampered princess. Katara knows a little bit about from watching the women in the village, but she doesn't know that much. It probably wouldn't be a problem if she was just cooking for a handful of people, but these are dozens of people, dozens of hungry impatient men. She watches Sokka leave out the front door chortling at his own joke.

Zuko clears his throat. "I've never known princesses to cook their own meals." She can hear him standing from the chair and approaching her from behind. "You don't want the title?"

"Not exactly, it doesn't really mean anything." She leaves him and goes to her room. She doesn't expect him to follow her, and he doesn't. The only thing that she wants to do is take a hot bath and try to get over the events of the past few days. Katara turns the knob to fill the porcelain tub with water and then dumps in the bath salts that someone placed on the small table besides the tub. The room instantly smells of honey and warm cinnamon, it makes her mind go back to earlier this morning but she shakes it off. It was probably nothing like she'd thought.

She peels off her jacket and undershirts. Clad in only her top bindings, pants, and boots she holds her hand over the water and pulls- nothing. She still doesn't have her bending back but she can feel the slightest hint of flexibility. She stands and examines herself in the mirror. Her hair has become wavier due to the steam in the room, she won't have a way to flatten it for a while. The scar on her shoulder will have to remain there until she can properly heal it. She tucks her hands into the harem pants she's wearing with intentions to take them off as she turns back around- Zuko's here.

She stares up at him frozen, he looks back down at her like nothing's wrong. "What are you doing?"

"To talk to you, plus it's warmer in here." His eyes lower to the rest of her body and then back up to her eyes. "When you leave for Makapu, I'm going with you."

"You can't do that, they won't let you."

"But they'll listen to you."

"Why do you even want to leave? It's better for you to stay here." She brushes past him to the towel rack. "If that's all you have to say, if don't mind I want to take a bath now."

"Why wouldn't I want to go? I can't keep being held here. If I stay here with no bending I'll die. You know that."

"So your suggesting we just let you loose? Not yet, not until I get that block off your brain."

Zuko scoffs behind her. "I'm not even sure there's anything on it. If there really is i want it off. There may be something about Ursa there."

"Ursa?"

"My mother."

"Oh." She sighs. Katara was considering to get around the block using the advanced way. She would have to die and come back but coming back isn't guarantee, plus the block would still be there. It's best to do the traditional technique and have it removed completely so she can get in. He wants to remember about his mother- whose she to try and stop that?

Two hands settle on her hips. When he presses her back into him and wrap his arms around her waist she closes her eyes in bliss. His lips tease her neck. "Katara."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you want me to."

"No I don't."

"Then what was that downstairs? You didn't e even know I was sleep because you were too into it." He runs his fingertips up and down her sides, across her stomach and he grips her hips and presses her back against him and she leans into his touch more. "See?"

She stops him when his hands find the front of her pants. "I don't see anything. We should stop." They should stop before they do something they both regret. Zuko briefly pauses before he exhales into her neck before he spins her round to face him.

"Stop why?" His brows come in and his lips form into a thin line. "Why should we stop?"

Her mouth opens but nothing comes out. What good reason does she have?

"It's because you're still afraid of doing what you want to do because since you're home, you don't want them to look at you more differently than they already do."

"I'm not afraid of anything."

"You're afraid to once in your life do something that makes you happy and no one else." Zuko pulls away from her with darkened eyes. "It's because you still think you have to satisfy others to be happy. You don't have to do that Katara."

He leaves out the bathroom with a word, leaving Katara to bask in her lingering words.

.0.

"Ouch!" Yue grabs her hand. She's cut it again with the ultra sharp knife. Yue really isn't a kitchen person. The other women eye her curiously and with mild annoyance. They're more skilled then she is, what does she really need to know how to cook for? Even though she's from the north and women are supposed to be in the homes Yue is the princess. Even when she's married someone is going to cook her and her husbands meals for her.

It's totally different in the south.

"I can't help you, I still don't have any bending." Katara says dryly as she skins the big fish that the men have bought in. "Maybe it'll be back sometime tomorrow."

"I'm not used to this sort of thing." Yue sounds like she's about to cry as she wipes her hand on a towel.

"Then why did you come?"

"Because it beats being stuck in the house with no one to talk to. I don't really have friends in the south, the north either if you think about it. There's Aang, Sokka, and there's you of course."

"A breath of fresh air right?"

"Exactly, I just want to be normal."

"We're the farthest thing from normal- an oracle and a princess whose blessed by the moon spirit." Katara wipes of the knife and brushes the fish scales from her clothing. She's going to have to take another bath before she eats, which means she will have to go home where Zuko is. She hasn't spoken to him since the incident in the bathroom. He wants to go with her Makapu, but why? Is it really because he wants to remember about his mother or is he trying to escape somehow?

They bring their fish through the doorway into the large kitchen where a dozen women are working preparing different types of food and deserts. When Katara takes the platter of fish from Yue's hand to put it on the counter she notices something strange.

"Yue, what happened to the cut?" She remembers Yue cutting her hand, there should be a mark there but the skin is completely flawless.

"What?" She looks down at her hand. "Oh…"

Katara gasps. "You're a-"

"No!" She covers Katara's mouth. She looks around the room to see if anyone has heard her. "Come with me." Yue pulls her out the kitchen and down a hallway. Once outside Katara pulls her hand away.

"You're a water bender? But how? You don't have the etching on your skin."

"Because I developed late, I didn't get my bending when I was really young. I got it at fourteen." Yue takes Katara's hands in hers. "Please don't tell anyone, especially my father."

"What about Sokka and Aang?"

"They know, they've been helping me master it."

Yue is a water bender. Katara doesn't know why she doesn't want her father to know. Bending is a blessing, it's something that one should be proud of.

"I won't tell anyone. But why won't you tell?"

"Because… because I want it to be a secret until I'm ready to tell it. I want to be good at it before anyone knows. Sokka teaches me things, Aang does too and sometimes Hama but I'll never be as good as any of you here in the south." She puts her hands back into the pocket of her jacket. "If Arnook finds out I've been learning how to fight-"

The door to the kitchen opens. "-Katara?" Someone calls out her name. It's Yagoda, she looks impatient and she's holding three containers of food. Her youthful eyes scan them both. "I've prepared the food you asked for- one for you and one for the price. I threw in some honey bread too."

Katara takes the food from her, it's so warm. "Thank you."

"Yue, are you eating with the others tonight?" Yagoda comes down the steps a little bit. "We missed you last night."

"Yes, I'm staying."

Yagoda nods. "Okay. So, I hear that prince is going to be in the chiefs house for closer surveillance"

"That's right." Katara replies slowly. "Why?"

"He's quite the eye candy isn't he?"

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't say that." Katara frowns at her. She doesn't know why but she's getting angered at the infatuation Yagoda has on Zuko.

"I didn't know you two had a thing. From your facial expression and glaring eyes I'm guessing the village talk is true."

"Even if it was true i wouldn't give you the satisfaction. Good night Yue." Katara says. After giving Yagoda one last look she heads on home.

Zuko is on the couch when she makes it home. He gets up as soon as he sees her.

"Here. It may not be Fire Nation cuisine but it's pretty good. It's a… a hot meal." She gives him the boxes and then hangs up her coat.

"I'm sorry." He blurts out. "About earlier. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Sokka gave you the chi blockers?"

"Did the bruising give it all away?" He extends his arm out for her to see after he sits the food down on a nearby table. There are bruised up and down his arm, both arms to be exact.

"They hurt?"

"They ache."

"Let me see." She takes her gloves off and holds his arm. The bruises are dark, they look awful against him skin. "Why do you keep doing this?" She asks when he pushes hair behind her ear. It's not that she doesn't enjoy him touching her, it's just so sudden.

"Why do you keep letting me?"

"That's not what I asked you." She sighs. "You'll live." She drops his hand and he examines the bruises for himself.

"You're still free. Even when you were on my ship you were free." He tells her, making her pause on the staircase. "But here you're just a caged bird looking out from behind ice bars at what could be."

She doesn't respond.

She has no comeback for that.

**.0.**

**Read and Review.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Story Title:** Caged Birds

**Author:** XxToToXx

**Full Summary: An epic story in which Katara is a rebellion leader from the Southern Water Tribe and Zuko is the cunning, charming yet troubled prince of the Fire Nation. Katara's main objective in life is to destroy the Fire Nation, while Zuko is struggling between the paths of right and wrong. She will drown him but not before he ignites her soul with a fiery passion. Two people, two different backgrounds and two different a outlooks on life. What happens when destiny thrusts these two together? With enemies hidden as friends, secret conspiracies and sinister intentions what awaits the two when one casts aside their differences and lets the other in? But remember, this is war. All is fair in love and war.**

**Sixteen **

When she rolls over in bed to find a more comfortable position she doesn't expect to roll onto a warm, hard, masculine body. She jolts up in the bed, his distinctive smell instantly fills her nose.

"Why can't you ever just sleep still?" Zuko's voice is raspy.

"Why are you here? You're supposed to be down stairs- shackled!" She pushes away from him. "Get out of here."

"It's cold down there Katara."

"You can always light the fireplace."

"That's not funny."

"It wasn't intended to be."

"You talk in your sleep. Did you know that?"

Katara yanks the thick covers away from him and covers herself with them, she's only in her bindings and she doesn't appreciate the fact that he's probably seen her in them. She can't see him that well in the dark but she can make out his outline. He's still lying flat on his back, his eyes burn into her. She can feel them boring in her skin.

"If my father or brother catches you here it won't be good."

"I'll take my chances if it means warmth." He grunts. "Just go back to sleep, oracle."

"That's not my name." She whispers harshly with clenched fists.

"Water bender, blood bender, princess, oracle, you're still the same person."

She cringes at blood bender. "My name is Katara, now get out of my room!"

"You don't want me to leave. If you did want me gone you wouldn't have cuddled up to me." There's amusement in his tone, he thinks that this is entertainment for him.

"I'd never!" She knows she didn't do that, she couldn't have.

"You have, twice." He says. "The only reason you're awake now is because I moved away from you."

"So you're not leaving?"

"Of course not."

"Fine." She states, Katara lays back down with her back to him. "Do whatever you want."

"Can you at least give me some blankets-"

"-No. You can fire bend yourself warm." She smiles into her pillow at her own joke. "You still don't have any bending." She laughs.

Zuko doesn't reply, but his arms wrap tightly around her waist and pulls her back to his chest.

She freezes. "What are you doing?"

"I told you I'm trying to get warm. Just relax Katara." He breathes against her neck and his cold finger tips move her loose hair behind her. "Go to sleep."

"I'll go to sleep when you take your hands off of me."

"Then i guess you'll be up all night then."

"I guess so." She replies back smartly. Katara wonders if Sokka is asleep, he's probably already snuck out to go and see Yue. Hopefully he's gone, she doesn't know why but she's glad that Hakoda isn't here either. Is it because she's scared she'd get cHe pulls her waist back to him and squeezes her against his body. Her eyes slip close and she buries her head in her pillow. She stiffens when his lips roam over her neck.

"Why do you keep doing this?"

"Why do you keep letting me?" He whispers as he pulls her onto her back. "I'm just as curious as you are."

His cold lips cover hers when she opens her mouth to reply to him, and she can feel the excitement already building between her legs. Curious? She's sure he's way more experienced than she could ever be. He pulls down her pants and settle between her legs. Her hands shoot to his chest in an attempt to push him off but he only slides them to the back of his head, to tangle in his hair. She can feel herself drowning into him again and its like she's on the outside looking in.

She moans into his mouth and her hips arch up into his, the heat between her legs increases and spreads to her stomach. Katara whimpers lowly when he pulls away from her. She knows she shouldn't but she wants more, more of his addicting taste and touch. Katara pulls him back down for more. This time his hand gently grips her chin and hold her mouth in place. A moan escapes her throat when his tongue brushes over hers. It makes electricity run through her body, her mind becomes fogged and disoriented. Zuko pulls away from her all too soon and kisses down to her throat. Why's he so calm? Oh, she's almost forgotten that he's a prince. There's no telling how many women he's had. It makes her a little upset

"See?" He buries his head in the crook of her. "If you quit covering up your emotions with blatant anger and stubbornness maybe you would actually feel things like this." His body relaxes on top of hers. He's heavy but it's a comfortable heaviness.

"Why should I?"

He finds interest in the rather large birth mark on her neck, he caresses it with his thumb. She closes her eyes and relaxed under his warmth. "Because you want to, but your trust isn't at its best." Zuko arches her leg up and Wraps it around his waist. "But you've trusted me enough so far, with your body and life I mean." His lips hover over hers now and every time she tries to take them he moves. There's an aching between her legs, in her chest, and in her stomach that needs to be filled now. She needs this, she needs something.

"What are saying?" Her voice comes out so small, barely a whisper but somehow he still heard her.

"Just how much do you trust me?"

"W-Why?"

"Because I want you trust me with this." He runs his fingertips up and down her bare side. "With everything."

"Everything?"

Zuko nods. "Only if you want to. I won't touch you ever again If you don't want me to." She can feel his eyes boring into hers.

She doesn't have time to think over a response for him. Whatever pops into her mind that's what she tells him. "I do." As soon as the words leave her mouth his lips attack hers again. It's different this time. It's more intense, more passionate, rougher.

And she loves it.

The little voice and warning flags in the back of her mind disappear and she's completely under his control now. If what she's doing is wrong then why does it feel so right? Why does it feel so good?

He directs her hands to his pants and holds them there as he whispers sultrily in her ear. Her mouth opens a little at his words and her cheeks tint pink. "Zuko…" her hands shoot up to his face and away from the hardness that's adding on to her arousal.

"You've never…?"

_"No." _

He presses her hips against his again. "let me show you." At her nod he places heated butterfly kisses from her cheek on down to her chest and stomach, moving the sheets and blankets completely out of the way. The fire in the fireplace in the corner of the room is ignited.

"You've had your bending all this time." She examines his face. "How?"

"I asked you if you trusted me."

"But if they find out you have your bending-"

"-They won't."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I'm trusting you not to tell them." He leans back up and brushes his lips over hers. "Can I trust you Katara?" When his eyes open they're intense and dark, full of emotion. It makes her heart skip beats.

"Yes."

"Good." He kisses a fiery path down her stomach, spreading her legs wider as he goes.

When his tongue brushes across the the most sensitive area of her body she calls out his name, not caring if she's heard or not.

"When this all over you should come with me to the Fire Nation."

She hears him but she doesn't say anything. Her back is facing him and he's sitting in front of the blazing fire. She doesn't really want to look at him. When she did look at him the flashbacks from last night come rushing back to her.

"What's it really like there? The last time I went I was kind of locked away in a dungeon."

He rubs his hands together. "It's hot, but it's beautiful there. All types of exotic trees, plants, and flowers. You'd like it."

"What makes you think I like those things?"

"I know you do, you just don't show it because you're so used to keeping your emotions bottled up." He turns to her and what's in his eyes makes her soul stir. "It's alright to let your guard down sometimes."

"Maybe." She agrees.

**.0.**

"Since I'm not going to be killing myself to jump inside his body I'm going to go to Makapu to the fortune teller. I have reason to believe that it was her who blocked his mind- since she read his fortune and was able to get into his head." Katara slaps her hands together. "So I need a boat…"

Hakoda thinks over her words for a moment. "What makes you think that he won't try and escape? What makes us think you both won't try to leave?"

"I won't leave- ugh!" It really isn't her morning this morning. "Just… I just need a boat to get there."

"And exactly why does he want and have to go with you?"

"Just in case she doesn't want to leave her home I'll take him to her." Besides her Sangok coughs into his mitten. She ignores him. Why is he even here?

"He wants to go with you because he has plans for you." Hakoda sits down the scroll. "You have feelings for each other."

"What makes you think that?"

"I saw it the moment you held a dagger to Yue's neck because you wanted them to let him go. Sangok told me about what happened with the prince in the holding cell. It's not hard to miss Katara."

She lets out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. "This is the most convenient way, that's all I'm saying. I'm not just doing this because of him, I'm using my head like you taught me to."

"He could escape. He's our only upper hand on the Fire Nation."

"He won't try anything, I promise."

"Tomorrow morning then." He sighs and picks up his scroll again. "Sokka and Aang will go with you. I'll have Sangok go with you too."

Katara nearly drops her water skin. "Sangok?"

"Yes."

"I don't want him to go." She can't stand Sangok, on top of that he really isn't a good warrior in her eyes.

"Aren't you two still engaged?"

"Sangok-" She slumps down in the chair with a sigh. "Sangok never wanted to marry me." In order to do this and to this right with the oracle thing, she'll have to find peace with others and herself as well. What better person to start with than her father?

"What makes you think that?"

"He never wanted to, you couldn't tell? I wasn't exactly the most… pleasing to the male eye."

"What are you talking about?" Hakoda looks at her strangely. "There are still boys trying to ask for your hand-"

She scoffs loud and unattractively "-Why?"

"Because they're looking to marry the Chiefs daughter, we've been through this already Katara."

"No, why is everyone acting like everything is okay? I killed the elders, they should hate me but instead they're acting like nothing ever happened."

"Those elders were all working for the Order." Hakoda says with calculating eyes. He stands and gathers his work in a pile.

"What?"

"The Order, you've been traveling all around the world and you don't know what the order is?" She doesn't answer. Of course she doesn't know what the Order is.

"I don't know what that is."

"They call themselves the Order of the Red Lotus." His voice is grim and his eyes turn hard. "They've been stirring up trouble for years."

She eyes him carefully. "Who…wait, you mean that they're some rebel force or something?"

"They're the most powerful benders of their element, locked away in contradicting prisons to keep they away from the rest of the world. Now that they've escaped somehow, Ozai is nothing compared to them." Hakoda lips form into a tight line. "They're called the Order of the Red Lotus. You've never ran across them?"

"Never." She says. Hakoda reaches into the desk and pulls out a scroll. She can still smell the ink on it when hands it over to het. Could it just have been written? She opens it up. There's no surprise that it's the members of the Red Lotus.

"They want Aang. They've tried to kill him a few times but luckily they were all failed attempts."

"Excuse me? They tried to kill Aang? Why?"

"Something about a new world order and hullabaloo." He leans on the desk. "So far they've kept their distance away from the poles, but they may be planning something big."

Katara never knew that their goal was to kill Aang, if she would've known she never would've freed them!

"Now back to the more important issue at hand. You do remember that you're a woman of this tribe. Whatever feelings you have for the prince-"

"-I don't have any feelings for the prince."

"I saw it the moment you stood up for him in the square. You were ready to kill your own for him Katara. I'm telling you now, whatever he's told you is a lie."

She stands up with intentions to leave. "He didn't tell me anything. Even if he did I wouldn't be crazy enough to believe it." Would she?

Hakoda doesn't say anything after that. She looks at him long and hard. He hasn't aged much over the years, he still has that strong and fearless demeanor, that's why all the village women are still after him.

"I'm sorry." He glances at her.

"For what?"

"For everything I did for years ago, I practically tore the entire village up. I'm sorry for blood bending you and Sokka-"

"-Katara." He places his heavy hands on her shoulders and smile down at her. "Your apology is valued, but it isn't needed."

"Why isn't it?"

"I've done bad things too, like hurting my baby girl. It wasn't my decision to lock you away Katara- some things you just have to go along with." He leans closer so that only she can hear him. "That's why I helped you."

"What do you mean helped?"

"I helped you." He replies back slowly. The knowing look in his eyes are far too familiar and after a second of contemplation Katara finally realizes what he means. "The charges against you are all gone, you have a clean slate. If you don't want to stay in the village Katara, you don't have to. But I wish you would, not just because we need you now but because you belong here with your family."

_Family. _

"But the Sages." She reminds him. "I thought it was up to them."

He narrows his eye. "Don't listen to the Sages anymore."

"What? But you said-" she gasps. "That night… with Aang." She starts. "You did that? You knew all along.!"

He gives her a half nod. "There are things going on here that have got to be stopped, they are going to be stopped."

"What things?" Shes completely lost here. Besides the elders being no more what else has changed?

"Sokka." He whispers.

"What about Sokka?"

He looks grim. "He knows-"

"-Chief!" Montag bursts into the hut. He must've ran the entire way here.

"What's the matter Montag?" Hakoda asked worriedly.

"It's Aniyah." He says. "It's all of the sages- sir, they've been murdered!"

**.0.**

**Ugh, I'll make it up next time. **

**Read and review. **

**But will Katara go with Zuko?**


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